Co Armagh businessman fined £750 for pollution offence

A Co Armagh businessman was fined £750 plus £31 court costs at Armagh Magistrates' Court to-day

.George Emerson, c/o Norman Emerson Group Ltd, Ardmore Road, Derryadd, Craigavon, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 17 November 2009, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, observed a waterway severely polluted with suspended solids. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to the Emerson Group quarry at Lisbane, Tandragee.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious and polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

Notes to editors:

1. Mr Emerson was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
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