On Wednesday 27 August 2008, FormFin Limited of Merse Road, Redditch pleaded guilty at Redditch Magistrates Court to polluting the Blacksoils Brook and River Arrow. The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Water Regulation Act. FormFin Limited was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,400.
For the Environment Agency, Claire Andrews told the court that FormFin Ltd run a mechanical finishing company in Redditch. On Monday 15 October 2007, the Environment Agency and Severn Trent received a report of pollution in Redditch.
Environment Agency Officers investigated the pollution at the nearby Arrow Valley County Park and found a white substance coating the bottom of the water channel in the river outlet. An inspection of a surface water manhole near to the FormFin Ltd depot uncovered a lime green/yellow liquid being discharged into the sewer from the direction of the site. A further inspection of the River Arrow in the Arrow Valley Country Park showed the water had turned a cloudy, milky white colour, which worsened throughout the course of the day.
FormFin Ltd were interviewed under caution by the Environment Agency on the 10 December 2007. During the interview the company admitted that the onsite pump dealing with the waste had broken down and the tank which was used to contain the waste had overflowed. This overflow had resulted in the waste entering the storm water drain through a crack in the pipe. The pump breakdown was only noticed by FormFin Ltd when alerted by the Environment Agency and Severn Trent site visit.
Speaking after the case Joanne Green, an Environment Agency Officer involved in the investigation said: “Taking enforcement action against FormFin Limited for causing pollution illustrates to other companies that this is not acceptable. Measures must be taken by companies to help prevent pollution incidents like this occurring.“
In mitigation, FinForm Ltd said the fault that caused the pollution has now been rectified.
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