A firm has been fined a total of £4,400 after a quarry was found to be polluting a Cumbrian beck.
Armstrong Aggregates was prosecuted by the Environment Agency for failing to adhere to its permit of discharging water at Shap Pink Quarry, near Penrith.
The Environment Agency said Armstrong Aggregates repeatedly breached its permit by allowing water with high suspended solids to be discharged into Wasdale Beck, which was not allowed.
People had tipped off the agency that the breaches were happening.
It said it caused unacceptable risk to the environment and local wildlife, including salmon, sea trout and brown trout, all species that are sensitive to water quality.
An enforcement notice was served, requiring several steps to be taken with the aim of bringing Armstrong Aggregates back into compliance with its permit.
But, the agency said, Armstrong Aggregates continued allow water to be discharged into Wasdale Beck in breach of its environmental permit.
Armstrong Aggregates was fined £2,000 for failing to comply with the enforcement notice and £2,400 for failing to comply with the environmental permit. It was also ordered to pay costs of £19,000 and a victim surcharge of £181.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We are glad to see the outcome of this prosecution and would like to thank members of the public for reporting these offences to us. Armstrong Aggregates caused unacceptable risk to the environment and local wildlife.
“We will always work closely with companies who want to do the right thing and take action against those who don’t such as Armstrong Aggregates.
“The Environment Agency will continue to work tirelessly to tackle environmental crime such as this and we are committed to ensuring that appropriate environmental standards are adhered to.”
