The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted East Midlands Airport Ltd for allowing discharges of drainage water containing aircraft and runway de-icing fluid.
Photo: Drainage structure at East Midlands Airport
At Derby Crown Court on Monday 28 July 2025, the company was fined £892,500 for 3 offences of breaching environmental permits for the airport site near Nottingham. The company was fined £297,500 for each charge.They were also ordered to pay costs of £65,687.54.
The court was told that the offences had occurred between 14 January 2022 and 4 February 2022.
The airport’s operation potentially causes water pollution through the discharge of surface water drainage containing residues of de-icing fluid from aircraft and runways.
The discharge must therefore meet quality limits as set out in the airport’s environment permit. The limits are calculated to protect the environment - any failure to meet them is likely to have a chronic impact on the watercourse and result in a deterioration in water quality.
The airport’s environmental permit allows a discharge of site drainage containing a maximum level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of 15 mg/l.
BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic matter in a water sample and is indicative of the level of organic pollution.
However, an investigation by Environment Agency officers found that the company had significantly breached the limit on 3 separate occasions.
In mitigation, the company, which changed management in 2022, said it had actively engaged with the Environment Agency to improve the situation.
The court was told that the company has a poor history of permit compliance.
Prior to this case there have been 13 separate permit breaches at East Midlands Airport since 2006, resulting in 10 written warnings.
Ian Firkins, senior environment officer for the Environment Agency’s East Midlands Area, said:
“We welcome this sentence which should act as a deterrent to other companies who flout environmental legislation.
“As a regulator, the Environment Agency will not hesitate to pursue companies that fail to meet its obligations to the environment.
“The conditions of an environmental permit are designed to protect people and the environment.
“Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment.”
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