8:28 am, June 20, 2013
SYTNER Ltd has been ordered to pay almost £40,000 after an oil spill polluted a seven-kilometre stretch of the River Wye, killing its wildfowl.
The retailer, which owns a BMW dealership in London Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, failed to maintain and clear an oil interceptor at the Wycombe Marsh garage, which led to an oily substance leaking into the River Wye for 12 hours on April 3, 2011.
Sytner Ltd pleaded guilty to polluting a section of the river in April 2011 at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court. The court was also told that Sytner employees were seen emptying buckets containing disinfectants directly into the drainage system by agency officers.
Wildlife suffered the most as the spillage killed 12 birds and ducklings, while 14 more, including a pair of breeding swans, were caught and treated by Swan Lifeline, the RSPCA and Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital.
The company has been fined £27,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,711.54 as well as a victim sub charge of £15, which adds up to £39,726.54.
Environment agency officer Claire Bale told the Bucks Free Press: ‘We expect all companies to comply with regulations and act within the terms of any permits granted to them in order to minimise environmental risk.
‘Had Sytner Ltd done so, the pollution and resultant prosecution could have been avoided.’
