Two firms which were caught polluting in Market Rasen and Tattershall have paid a total of £70,000 to benefit nature projects in Lincolnshire.
The charity will use the cash to support nature recovery and deliver environmental benefits across Lincolnshire. It follows Enforcement Undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency – an alternative sanction to prosecution or monetary penalty for dealing with certain environmental offences.
£40,000 was paid by Fox (Owmby) Ltd of Caenby Corner, Market Rasen agreed to stump up £40,000 after they deposited mixed waste without authorisation at Willow Holt Caravan and Camping Park, Tattershall, between December 8, 2020 and January 28, 2021, said the Environment Agency.
Another £30,000 was handed over by Crockway Farms Ltd, of Dorchester, Dorset, following a slurry discharge from a pig unit in Market Rasen on April 7, 2023, which spread to nearby land and into a drainage ditch.
Further payments were made by firms involved with illegal dumping of waste at a farm near Grantham.
All offenders made contributions to the Environment Agency’s costs and have carried out actions to stop offending, prevent a recurrence or restore any harm.
Laura Richardson, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said: “While we continue to prosecute and sanction the most serious offences, Enforcement Undertakings allow companies to put right what went wrong and channel money directly into the environment.
“This figure of £168,000 will be invested back into the local area to enhance the environment, delivering real benefits for people and wildlife.”
Paul Learoyd, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust: “Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is clear that environmental breaches should never happen in the first place. The best outcome for wildlife, people and our environment is always prevention, supported by strong regulation and responsible environmental management.
“Where enforcement action does secure investment, it is important that those funds are invested directly into nature recovery across Lincolnshire. This contribution will help us deliver practical conservation work that benefits wildlife and local communities, supporting the recovery and resilience of habitats across our rivers, coasts and countryside.”
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has used previous enforcement undertaking funding to support conservation projects across Lincolnshire, delivering direct benefits for wildlife and habitats. For example in the north of the county, funding has supported the management of extensive reedbed habitats through the use of specialist low-impact machinery, benefiting a range of species including the increasingly successful bittern.
