LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday it would remove the current limit of 250,000 pounds ($322,375) on fines that environmental regulators can impose on polluters and increase the number of offenses that fall within its scope.
Water companies have faced particular scrutiny over river pollution, with Thames Water being fined £20m in 2017, and 3.3 million pounds last week – to pump sewage into rivers.
Those fines followed lengthy court proceedings, but the changes would allow the Environment Agency or Natural England to impose enforcement measures more quickly and at lower cost.
“Polluters must always pay. We are removing the cap on civil penalties and significantly expanding their scope to address a much broader range of offenses, from storm surge permit violations to the reckless disposal of hazardous waste,” he said. Environment Minister Therese Coffey in a statement. statement.
The environment ministry said the application could apply to all those who have environmental permits, including the energy, water and waste sectors, adding that the most serious cases would still be taken to court.
He said future fines and penalties would be reinvested in the government’s new Water Restoration Fund, adding that the removal of the maximum fine would have to be approved by parliament before it would take effect.
($1 = 0.7755 pounds)
Reporting by Alistair Smout; edited by william james
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