Chemicals company fined for failing to monitor emissions

A chemical company has been penalised for breaching its environmental permit.

Last week, Brenntag UK was fined £15,000 after a court found it failed to monitor the amount of carbon emissions released at its Yeadon site.

The permit, which was licensed from the Environmental Agency, limits the quantity and locations where emissions can be dispersed.

In June 2009, Brenntag's environmental consultants confirmed there was a problem with one of its scrubbing system pumps, affecting the amount of chemicals released from the site.

Although a replacement pump was put in position a month later, the agency argued that between June and July 2009, the processes which generate particles through the use of zinc oxide could have spread chemicals that were toxic to aquatic life into the air.

Last week, the Environment Agency confirmed it will launch a consultation to make sure that newly built nuclear power stations in the UK meet health, safety and environmental standards.

Posted by Lauren Steadman