R v Ethnic Cuisine Limited (22 April 1999) Magistrates' Court

United Kingdom

Ethnic Cuisine Limited, a food manufacturing company, polluted a local stream with effluent from its premises. As a consequence, the biochemical oxygen demand of water sampled in the stream was 160 times normal levels although there were no fish deaths. The Environment Agency Wales brought a prosecution and Ethnic Cuisine Limited pleaded guilty to one charge of polluting controlled waters contrary to Section 85(1) of the Water Resources Act 1991. The court imposed a fine of £8,000 and costs of £338. Ethic Cuisine Limited had already paid £1,700 towards the Environment Agency's investigation and clean-up costs. (Environment Agency News Release, 28 April 1999)