16-Aug-2006
- Petroplus Tank Storage Milford Haven Limited
has been convicted and was fined £29,900
after pleading guilty to three charges relating
to the loss of 653 tonnes of kerosene from their
tank storage facility at Waterston, Milford Haven
over a period of about four weeks in July 2005.
In addition, the company has estimated the clean-up
operation has cost them around £3 million.
As well as the fine the company were ordered to
pay full costs of £39,801. The prosecution
was brought by Environment Agency Wales at Haverfordwest
Magistrates Court on 10 August 2006.
The court heard that Petroplus
had failed to recognise a gradual reduction in
the level of tank 115 for a period of about 4
weeks in July 2005. As a result they were prosecuted
for failing to control their inventory of kerosene
in accordance with their permit. They had failed
to ensure that the repair made to the base of
tank 115 after a similar incident in 2001 was
carried out according to the required standards
and as a result corrosion had led to a small hole
in the base of the tank through which the kerosene
leaked.
In addition to these two charges
(for details see Notes) the company was also prosecuted
for the subsequent pollution and destruction of
the habitat of the Hazelbeach stream.
The magistrates concluded that
they had adequate powers to accept jurisdiction
for this case as Petroplus had co-operated fully
with the Environment Agency in addressing the
leakage and in mounting a clean up operation of
the resultant pollution.They recognised that Petroplus
had lacked proper control of its business in monitoring
the operation of tank 115 and that the spillage
of kerosene should not be regarded lightly. However,
they felt that Petroplus had done their best to
clean up the contamination and to put corrective
actions in place on the site to prevent a recurrence
of such an incident.
Martin Watkins
