Civil Sanctions imposed by the Environment Agency: 1 January to 31 May 2023
Updated 30 November 2023
Applies to England
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Our approach to applying civil sanctions
A Variable Monetary Penalty (VMP) is a proportionate monetary penalty we may impose for the more serious cases of non-compliance.
We may issue VMPs for more serious offences, including:
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when there is evidence of negligence or mismanagement
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when there is an environmental impact
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to remove an identifiable financial gain or saving as a result of the breach
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where it is not in the public interest to prosecute
See how we follow a stepped approach to assess a suitable penalty for an environmental offence.
We will always try to recover the money we have spent on work connected with an offence and imposing a VMP. We can serve an Enforcement Cost Recovery Notice, which will require the offender to pay the actual cost to the Environment Agency.
This list shows details of VMPs imposed by the Environment Agency between 1 January and 31 May 2023. It may include VMPs we have not published before.
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975
Lord Demolition Services Limited (reference VMP21)
The penalty amount was £625 (August 2022).
The offence was causing waters to be poisonous or injurious to fish or the spawning grounds, spawn or food of fish – Section 4(1). It relates to the putting of dredging spoils into the River Tame at Portland Basin, Dukinfield, Greater Manchester in November 2018.
They also paid Environment Agency costs of £2,441.23
Anglian Water Services Limited (reference VMP22)
The penalty amount was £150,000 (May 2023).
The offence was causing waters to be poisonous or injurious to fish or the spawning grounds, spawn or food of fish – Section 4(1). It relates to the discharge of sewage effluent and pollution of the River Til from Yielden Water Recycling Centre, Bedfordshire in May 2018.
They also paid Environment Agency costs of £4,428.33