Haulier fined after driver could not open spill containment kit

A haulage company has been fined after a chemical leaked from one of its HGVs and turned water in a small brook blue.

Nicholson’s Transport from Teeside, pleaded guilty to causing wood preservative to enter Shotton Beck in Sedgefield, Durham.

The incident happened when something from a vehicle the driver was overtaking hit the side of his truck, puncturing the bulk storage container inside. The driver stopped the vehicle but could not gain access to a box containing a spill kit he was carrying. He phoned the head office and was told to use shrink wrap around the tank but could not find any so drove back to the depot.

The liquid found its way into roadside drainage systems and into Shotton Beck, 80m of which turned dark blue as a result of the spill.

The haulage company pumped the polluted water from the beck the same day at an estimated cost to them of £9,000. And since the incident, the company have put into place comprehensive new procedures to cope with spillages.

The company were fined £10,000 with additional costs of £1,875 to the Environment Agency.

An Environment Agency management team leader stated:

"This court case shows that everyone is responsible for the protection of the environment.

"Carriers of potentially harmful chemicals need to be extra vigilant and ensure that the appropriate authorities are notified immediately if there is a spillage."