[영국] 템즈워터, 템즈강 오염으로 벌금 2천30만파운드 부과

영국 법원은 템즈강 유역에 심각한 수질오염을 일으킨 템즈워터(Thames Water Utilities Ltd)에게 2천30만 파운드(한화 약 300억 원)라는 전례 없는 금액의 벌금을 부과했다.
 
검찰은 에일즈버리 형사법원(Aylesbury Crown Court)에서 열린 청문회에서 2012년부터 2014년까지 템즈워터가 일으킨 총 6건의 수질오염 개별 사례를 확인했다. 기관 환경청(EA)은 이번 오염이 20년 영국 역사에서 가장 큰 담수 오염사례라고 전했다.

템스워터는 템스강 및 그 지류로 하수도를 불법 폐수를 방류를 지속하여 14㎞의 강가에 서식하는 조류, 물고기 등의 죽음을 야기하는 등 주요 환경 피해를 초래했다.

환경청장 제임스 베반(James Bevan)은 "이번 사건은 기업의 환경보호가 선택이 아닌 필수사항이라는 것을 업계에 분명히 알리는 사례가 될 것이다"고 밝혔다.

템즈워터의 스티브 로버트슨(Steve Robertson) 최고 경영자는 "그동안의 일을 진심으로 후회하고 있고 이번 사건을 통해 환경에 대한 기업의 막중한 책임을 배웠다"며 "사건 해결을 위해 이에 필요한 직원 수를 늘리고 신뢰성을 회복을 위한 투자를 지속하고 있다", "고객과 환경에 대한 서비스를 지속적으로 개선하기 위해 주당 약 2천만 파운드의 투자를 지속할 것이다"고 밝혔다.

[원문보기]

Thames Water responds to ￡20m wastewater pollution fine

Thames Water Utilities Ltd (Thames Water) has been fined an unprecedented ￡20.3 million in fines and costs for a series of significant pollution incidents on the River Thames.
 
The prosecution saw six separate cases - which caused widespread, repeated, sustained and avoidable pollution at a number of sites from 2012 to 2014 - brought together in one hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court.

Regulator the Environment Agency (EA) said it is the “biggest freshwater pollution case” in its 20 year history.

The court heard how Thames Water’s repeated illegal discharges of sewage into the River Thames, and its tributaries, resulted in major environmental damage including visible sewage along 14 kilometres of the river, and the death of birds, fish and invertebrates.

Investigations carried out by Environment Agency officers revealed a catalogue of failures by Thames Water’s management.

This included repeated discharges of untreated or poorly treated raw sewage into rivers.

The Court heard how for weeks, untreated sewage, amounting to millions of litres per day, was diverted to the rivers and away from the treatment process, although the incoming sewage flow was well within the designed capacity of the treatment works.

In many instances less than half of the incoming sewage was sent for treatment.

Sir James Bevan, chief executive of the Environment Agency, said: "This case sends a clear signal to the industry that safeguarding the environment is not an optional extra, it is an essential part of how all companies must now operate.”

His Honour Judge Sheridan, condemned the “disgraceful conduct” of Thames Water Utilities Limited, which he said was “entirely foreseeable and preventable.”

It was “a very dark period in the history of Thames Water” who demonstrated “scant regard for the law, with dreadful results for people who live in the area,” he said.

Thames Water's chief executive Steve Robertson, appointed in September 2016, said: “We deeply regret each of these incidents at six of our sites during the period 2012-14. We asked for these incidents to be considered and sentenced together, because it was clear that our performance in this part of our region, at that time, was not up to the very high standards that we and our customers expect.

“Since then we’ve reviewed how we do things at all levels and made a number of key changes. These have included increasing the numbers of staff in key operational roles and investing heavily to improve reliability. As a result, our performance has significantly improved. We understand our huge responsibilities to the environment, have learned from these serious events, and continue to invest at the rate of around ￡20 million a week on continually improving our service to our customers and the environment.”

The facilities involved were five sewage treatment works in Aylesbury, Didcot, Henley, Little Marlow and Arborfield, and Littlemore sewage pumping station.

[출처 = Water World / 2017년 3월 22일]