Post by Hoppy on Nov 9, 2007 19:14:09 GMT -1
Environment Agency Wales is today warning farmers to check any equipment used to transfer slurry and keep an eye on slurry store levels, as two west Wales farmers had to pay nearly £9,000 combined in fines and costs for polluting nearby rivers with slurry.
The first case was caused by a ruptured slurry mixer pipe, the second by an over-flowing slurry store.
Mr John Owens, of Glancorrwg Farm, Llanpumsaint, Carmarthen, had to pay a total of £2,946 after he pleaded guilty to polluting the Nant Corrwg, a tributary of the Afon Gwili, with slurry in September of last year.
Agency officers traced the slurry to Glancorrwg Farm, where it had escaped from a ruptured pipe on the slurry mixer. This had then leaked to the Nant Corrwg, and subsequently ended up in the Afon Gwili.
Daniel Hefin Jenkins of Cathal Farm, Cwrtnewydd, Llanybydder, had to pay a total of £6,000 after pleading guilty to causing slurry to enter the Nant Cledlyn, a tributary of the Afon Teifi, with slurry in April this year.
The pollution was traced to Cathal Farm, where a slurry store was found to be over-flowing and entering Nant Cedlyn.
Both cases caused major problems for the rivers, killing many fish and damaging other species dependant on a clean river habitat.
Bob Merriman, speaking for the Agency, commented:
“We’ve seen over the last ten years that farmers have put a lot of effort into avoiding this kind of pollution, and our rivers are improving. But farmers cannot afford to be complacent.
“Keeping a close eye on any equipment you use when you’re moving or storing slurry can really reduce the risk of causing pollution. You need to be vigilant and check pipes and the levels in storage tanks.
“You can also lessen the risk by putting the slurry store somewhere where any spills can be contained if something does happen. Slurry can cause major problems for the environment, but, by making sure you check your equipment and slurry storage, you can reduce the risk.
The first case was caused by a ruptured slurry mixer pipe, the second by an over-flowing slurry store.
Mr John Owens, of Glancorrwg Farm, Llanpumsaint, Carmarthen, had to pay a total of £2,946 after he pleaded guilty to polluting the Nant Corrwg, a tributary of the Afon Gwili, with slurry in September of last year.
Agency officers traced the slurry to Glancorrwg Farm, where it had escaped from a ruptured pipe on the slurry mixer. This had then leaked to the Nant Corrwg, and subsequently ended up in the Afon Gwili.
Daniel Hefin Jenkins of Cathal Farm, Cwrtnewydd, Llanybydder, had to pay a total of £6,000 after pleading guilty to causing slurry to enter the Nant Cledlyn, a tributary of the Afon Teifi, with slurry in April this year.
The pollution was traced to Cathal Farm, where a slurry store was found to be over-flowing and entering Nant Cedlyn.
Both cases caused major problems for the rivers, killing many fish and damaging other species dependant on a clean river habitat.
Bob Merriman, speaking for the Agency, commented:
“We’ve seen over the last ten years that farmers have put a lot of effort into avoiding this kind of pollution, and our rivers are improving. But farmers cannot afford to be complacent.
“Keeping a close eye on any equipment you use when you’re moving or storing slurry can really reduce the risk of causing pollution. You need to be vigilant and check pipes and the levels in storage tanks.
“You can also lessen the risk by putting the slurry store somewhere where any spills can be contained if something does happen. Slurry can cause major problems for the environment, but, by making sure you check your equipment and slurry storage, you can reduce the risk.