Potato firm fined for polluting river: Court

Raymond Todd trading as Glenview Foods at Moyarget Road, committed the offence on May 3, 2008, the Departmental Magistrates Court in Coleraine was told on Friday.

There was a 500 fine and costs of 70 also have to be paid.

A prosecutor said fungal growth was discovered on the tributary of the Tow River and after the route of the discharge was followed it was found to be coming from the potato processing plant.

One part of the water was 61 times the standard it should have been.

A defence lawyer said the firm takes its responsibilities towards the environment very seriously and said that once an overflow of potato water was discovered at a concrete tank a new tank was put in at a cost of 80,000 and the potato water is now siphoned off and used as a by-product.

The lawyer said there were no fish killed during the incident and said the river is now clear.

He said his client, who employs 16 people, had put the matter right very quickly by spending a very large amount of money and there have been no further incidents.

District Judge Richard Wilson acknowledged remedial steps were taken but he said the initial concerns for the environment had to be understood.