The managers of a tyre company in Chichester have been fined £10,000 each and ordered to pay court costs of £8,186 after failing to comply with an environment permit.
According to the Environment Agency, Southern Rubber Products in Sidlesham in Chichester did not install the necessary drainage and fire prevention systems.
"Two key conditions of the licence were that the building and external area of the Sidlesham site were bunded to prevent any contaminated water runoff from the site entering the Pagham Rife," the government body noted.
Despite several warnings, the company in question failed to cooperate.
Louise Garlick, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency, said the fine was based on the potential impact on the local area.
If a fire had occurred at the plant, the damage would have been "huge", she added.
In related news, cement manufacturer Cemex was fined by the Environment Agency last week after causing a dust shower in the Rugby area.
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