Waste paper recycling firm St Regis Paper Co has been ordered to pay nearly 500,000 in relation to offences regarding effluent discharges at its Higher Kings Mill in Devon.
The company, which is owned by packaging giant DS Smith PLC, was sentenced earlier this week (April 18 and 19) at Exeter Crown Court for 19 charges under environmental regulations relating to practices at its newsprint mill at Cullompton in Mid Devon.
The firm was found guilty of falsifying records and misleading the Environment Agency at the end of a six-day trial at Exeter Crown Court in October 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).
In the case, which was brought by the Environment Agency, Exeter Crown Court was told records were falsified about effluent discharge levels into the Higher Kings Mill leat (stream), which connects to the River Culm.
It also heard that the St Regis Paper Company and its technical manager, Christopher Steer, were involved in a deception to mislead the Environment Agency.
The company had been set to be sentenced on April 16, however, it was granted leave of appeal in order to contest three specific charges relating to the alleged falsification of data and misleading the Environment Agency (see letsrecycle.com story).
At this weeks hearing, the company was fined 162,000 and also ordered to pay 225,000 in confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act. This was in addition to 68,000 in court costs.
The deliberate falsifying of records strikes at the cornerstone of our permitting system that is based on self-regulation and self-monitoring by the operator, said Spence Seaman for the Environment Agency.
By presenting the performance of its effluent treatment plant as being better than it was, the company saved a considerable amount of money by not having to carry out major improvement works.
Appeal
St Regis Paper Co said 120,000 of the fine relates to the three charges which the company is appealing against.
Chris Rosser, managing director of St Regis, said: This was an isolated case and the only time that the Environment Agency has brought charges against us or any of our mills.
We fully admit that agreed procedures were not followed by some of our staff on the ground at Higher Kings. However, we continue to refute the allegation that we intentionally made a false entry required by the Environment Agency record and are appealing these charges and the associated fines.
A spokesman for St Regis Paper Co told letsrecycle.com that a date for the appeal has yet to be set.
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