East Midlands Airport fined £892,500 for environmental offences following river de-icer pollution

East Midlands Airport have been fined £892,500 at Derby Crown Court after admitting three environmental offences relating to the illegal discharge of wastewater containing high levels of de-icer into the Diseworth Brook, a tributary of the River Soar.

The offences occurred over a three-week period between 14 January and 4 February 2022, with each discharge exceeding the allowable levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as specified in the airport’s environmental permit, issued under the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016.

BOD is a key indicator of organic pollution in water. High BOD levels reduce oxygen available to aquatic life, which can lead to fish kills and long-term ecosystem damage.

The specific incidents were:

• 14 January 2022 – Outlet 3, Site C (Western Summer Pond)
• 1 February 2022 – Outlet 1, Site A (Eastern Summer Pond)
• 4 February 2022 – Outlet 3, Site C (Western Summer Pond)

Diseworth Brook flows into the River Soar, which in turn feeds the River Trent – one of England’s major rivers. These rivers support a wide range of wildlife and provide vital resources for recreation, angling, and navigation across the Midlands.

Although East Midlands Airport has publicly committed to environmental responsibility – and escalated this issue to board level at Manchester Airports Group (its wealthy and successful owners) in 2022 – issues with de-icer pollution have been repeatedly reported by local anglers since at least 2016.

At the sentencing, East Midlands Airport was fined £892,500 under Regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2016. They were also ordered to pay costs of £65,000.

Geoff Hardy, Solicitor at Fish Legal, commented:

“Fish Legal welcomes the decision by the Environment Agency to bring this prosecution and we hope that cases like this will help drive improvement and modernisation where it is sorely needed. East Midlands Airport committed itself back in 2018 to doubling its passenger movements and trebling its freight tonnage. It was subsequently, and prestigiously, designated as part of the UK Freeport network. Yet despite this – and despite being owned by the wealthy Manchester Airports Group – drainage and effluent management, including the handling of polluting de-icers, remains basic. Our rivers can no longer be viewed as convenient drains for industries like this.”

In a statement, Richard Anderson (Secretary) and Phil Harrison (Chairman) of Derby Railway Angling Club, which was established in 1895, said:

“For over 15 years, Derby Railway Angling Club has been lobbying the Environment Agency to act against East Midlands Airport for its seasonal pollution of local watercourses with aircraft de-icer, so we welcome their decision to finally take this action.

“We are disappointed that the charge relating to pollution of the River Trent was dropped as part of a plea bargain. The River Trent supports a wide range of wildlife, including protected species, and provides a vital resource for recreation, angling, and navigation. East Midlands Airport’s discharges continue to damage this valuable natural resource, and the Environment Agency is failing in its duty to protect it. We call on the Agency to take the necessary steps to ensure East Midlands Airport’s discharge permit is enforceable and fit for purpose.

“This case has exposed East Midlands Airport’s cavalier attitude to watercourse pollution and revealed the tip of a very dirty iceberg. The Club will continue to report pollution to the relevant authorities and bring these failures to wider public attention.”