Oil firm wins wastewater disposal rights

A firm dealing in the recycling of oil has won the right to discharge waste supplies into a local waterway, it has been revealed.

American Advanced Technologies will treat then discharge its wastewater into the nearby Munson Slip.

The approval comes despite the concerns of residents over the move, as the slip feeds into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which provides 12,000 people with drinking water.

Under the new rules, the firm will be allowed to discharge a total of 80,000 gallons of wastewater daily into the Munson Slip.

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality stated recently in a report: "The social and economic benefits of the proposed facility will greatly outweigh the adverse environmental impacts."

In other news, Exxon Mobil was fined a total of $6.1 million (£4 million) after it was found guilty of failing to adhere to pollution regulations in the US.