A Northern Irish egg company has been ordered to pay out £17,500 after pleading guilty to water pollution offences.
The Yolk Folk Egg Products Ltd, located near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, pleaded guilty at Enniskillen Magistrates’ Court for the July 2020 offences.
Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) had examined a tributary of the Arney River and discovered sewage fungus and bloodworms downstream from a storm pipe.
The water quality inspector (WQI), acting on behalf of NIEA, met with the owner on site where he discovered that chicken shed washings were entering the storm drainage system and the waterway.
In June 2021 when the WQI returned to the premises, he discovered slurry and manure washings entering a field between the chicken sheds before flowing into the waterway.
A dark coloured effluent was running from the storm pipe and causing a dark coloured plume of effluent further downstream.
A sample of the active discharge was collected and analysed and found to contain poisonous, noxious, or polluting matter potentially harmful to fish life.
In February 2022 following a further complaint, the WQI discovered slurry deposits which had flowed off the laneway and into the adjacent field, beside a collection tank which was full and overflowing.
At the waterway discharge point the WQI noted sludge, bloodworms and sewage fungus present in the open waterway.
"A County Fermanagh business, the Yolk Folk Egg Products Ltd, Old Coach Road, Arney, Enniskillen pleaded guilty and were fined a total of £17,500," a Department of Agriculture (DAERA) spokesperson said.
"Anyone wishing to report a pollution incident can call the 24 hour Water Pollution Hotline on: 0800 80 70 60."
