A Stratford company that processes animal bi-products has been prosecuted for discharging toxic levels of contaminants into the sewerage system.
John Knights Ltd pleaded guilty at Stratford Magistrates Court on 28 August 2008, to charges of exceeding the trade effluent consent limit for sulphide on two occasions in April and July 2007. The company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,000.
Thames Water brought the prosecution after tests showed the company was discharging illegal levels of sulphide at its Silvertown plant. In one instance, the company was more than four times over the legal discharge limit.
Thames Water's Wastewater Quality Manager, Linda Loveday, said:
"Sulphide is a naturally occurring gas found in animal bi-products. This develops into hydrogen sulphide during de-composition, which can be lethal if people come into contact with it.
"Prosecutions of this nature are rare and we only take this action as a last resort when a trader fails to respond to correspondence, meetings and repeated warnings.
"We are keen to work with firms to help them meet their legal requirements, however, we are prepared to take the matter to court if they disregard their obligations and do not co-operate."
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