Costain Limited will donate £55,000 to the Tyne Rivers Trust after a river contamination incident occurred in the River Don during their upgrade of the A19 in South Tyneside
An investigation by the Environment Agency found that the company violated its environmental permit by allowing polluted water to flow into the River Don through highway drains.
Costain presented an Enforcement Undertaking to the Environment Agency, which has now been approved.
An Enforcement Undertaking is a voluntary initiative undertaken by companies and individuals to rectify their wrongdoing. This usually involves a contribution to a wildlife charity aimed at carrying out environmental enhancements within the local vicinity.
Costain breached the rules of their environmental permit
Costain Limited held an environmental permit that granted permission to release water treated by a sediment treatment facility into the River Don while conducting operations related to the A19 at the Testos roundabout.
On December 6, 2019, during ongoing construction activities, an officer from the Environment Agency noticed a cloud of sediment in the river.
After a spell of dry weather, Costain Limited used high-pressure washing and sweeping on the road surface to eliminate accumulated mud. Their road equipment was not able to collect all the contaminated water, resulting in the polluted water flowing directly into the road’s drainage system.
This eventually led to polluted water entering the River Don. The sediment content in the water greatly exceeded the limits of the permit, resulting in discolouration spanning a distance of at least 500 meters.
Preventing future river contaminations
In response to the incident, the company introduced a new regimen for monitoring and maintenance and training sessions were conducted for on-site personnel. No further incidents have occurred, and there were no lasting adverse effects on the river’s ecosystem.
“Companies carrying out any major development work have a responsibility to ensure they abide by their permits to protect the local environment, and we will take action when pollution occurs,” said Environment Agency investigating officer Josh Laidler.
“While we will always take forward prosecutions in the most serious cases, Enforcement Undertakings are an effective enforcement tool to allow companies to put things right and contribute to environmental improvements,” he continued.
The donation will go towards Tyne Rivers initiatives to improve the water quality in the River Don area. The funds will facilitate activities such as educational programmes, addressing pollution issues, and engaging in practical conservation efforts.
“These initiatives allow polluters to correct and restore the harm caused to the environment and prevent a repeat river contamination by improving their procedures, helping ensure future compliance with environmental requirements,” concluded Laidler.