The current £250,000 limit on penalties will be scrapped, allowing for more substantial fines to be imposed.
Polluters in the UK, such as Thames Water Utilities Ltd., are set to face more stringent penalties and unlimited sanctions, as per new government legislation announced on Wednesday. The move comes as part of the government’s efforts to combat the pollution of rivers and seas caused by such entities.
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The current £250,000 limit on penalties will be scrapped, allowing for more substantial fines to be imposed. Moreover, the new laws will extend the range of offences covered by environmental permitting regulations.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey stated, “We are scrapping the cap on civil penalties and significantly broadening their scope to target a much wider range of offences – from breaches of storm overflow permits to the reckless disposal of hazardous waste.”
The legislation follows a consultation conducted by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which focused on the pollution of UK rivers and seas by sewage and untreated wastewater. The government’s ‘Plan for Water’ aims to enhance regulation and prevent companies from avoiding the high costs of treating their sewage by accepting fines instead.
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Environmental campaigners have previously criticised water companies for prioritising dividends and executive bonuses over investments in the outdated infrastructure of the system.
With these new measures, the UK government seeks to hold polluters accountable, protect the environment, and ensure cleaner rivers and seas for the benefit of the nation and its ecosystems.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
