A Cornwall-based farm company has paid £11,000 after a pollution incident involving toxic silage waste contaminated half a mile of the River Allen near St Tudy. C.P. Button Ltd, located in Bodmin" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Bodmin" link="linked" id="128266">Bodmin, made the payment to the Westcountry Rivers Trust as part of an Enforcement Undertaking, a legal agreement offered as an alternative to prosecution.
Jack Hale from the Environment Agency commented on the positive outcomes of the enforcement action: “Our investigation and subsequent farm infrastructure audit has driven significant investment on the farm, including drainage surveys and a covered silage clamp, with further development planned. All of these measures aim to prevent future pollution incidents.”
Hale noted that enforcement undertakings, when appropriate, can yield better environmental outcomes than traditional prosecution. These agreements allow companies to take responsibility for their actions, directly benefiting the environment and local communities through restorative efforts.
