Ballynahinch farmer fined £500 for pollution offence

A Co Down farmer was fined £500 plus £22 court costs at Downpatrick Magistrates' Court to-day.

Mr Edwin Smyth, of Crossgar Road, Ballynahinch, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 19 February 2009, a Water Quality Inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency inspected a stream adjacent to 110 Crossgar Road, Ballynahinch and observed that it was discoloured, foul smelling and contained sewage fungus.

The inspector traced the waterway upstream and observed a concrete pipe discharging what appeared to be slurry to the stream. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Smyth.

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

Notes to editors:

1. Mr Smyth 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.
2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned