Who was sanctioned, and for what?

Between 2019 and 2021, untreated sewage, sewage residues, diesel from a generator and waste entered a stream and the sea around Faversham and Whitstable; the circumstances of one incident were not reported to the Environment Agency, around 70 fish died, and bathing warnings were in place at beaches in Tankerton and Herne Bay for almost a week. The court imposed a fine of 2,416,666.67 GBP, 69,894.04 GBP in costs and a 190 GBP victim surcharge; it was the company's second conviction that year (announcement of 22 September 2026, exact date of judgment not stated). According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2026, the company had around 3,109 employees.

Authority / court

Bromley Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Environment Agency)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulations 12(1)(b) und 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Employees

1,000 to 9,999

Repeat case

yes

Published

22 Sep 2026

Original amount 2,486,750.71 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Sep 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

Following a partial pipe collapse at the Fleetwood wastewater treatment works, untreated sewage flowed from three pumping stations into the Irish Sea for over 35 hours in June 2023; seven bathing waters were affected and shellfish beds were closed. The water company pleaded guilty to five offences and must pay a fine of 900,000 GBP, 62,225 GBP in costs and a 2,000 GBP victim surcharge. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2026, the company had around 6,678 full-time equivalent employees.

Authority / court

Preston Magistrates' Court (Anklage: Environment Agency)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulation 38(2) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Employees

1,000 to 9,999

Culpability

negligent

Mitigating circumstances

Around 38 million GBP invested in response and repair, and a voluntary payment of 250,000 GBP to Blackpool Council.

Published

8 Sep 2026

Original amount 964,225 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 8 Sep 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

At the Ladden Garden Village construction site in Yate, a subcontractor washed silt from the site drainage into two brooks over six days in July 2022. The Environment Agency accepted an Enforcement Undertaking: BDW is paying 201,500 GBP to three environmental and charitable projects, bears the investigation costs and had already invested over 180,000 GBP in remediation, training and improved surface water management. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2025, the company had around 5,217 employees.

Authority / court

Environment Agency

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010 (Enforcement Undertaking)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Construction and real estate

Employees

1,000 to 9,999

Mitigating circumstances

Acceptance of responsibility, remediation, training of employees and application for a discharge permit.

Published

3 Sep 2026

Original amount 201,500 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 3 Sep 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

Canterbury Crown Court fined Southern Water £7,127,083 for 13 breaches of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016, plus £149,000 in prosecution costs and a £181 victim surcharge. Between 2019 and 2021, failed pumps and poorly maintained equipment at the Margate and Broadstairs pumping stations led to several discharges of untreated sewage into the sea, some of which were reported only the next day or weeks later; beaches had to be closed. The company also admitted 35 further unlawful discharges from the same period.

Authority / court

Canterbury Crown Court (Anklage: Environment Agency)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Reg. 12(1)(b) und 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Repeat case

yes

Published

17 Jul 2026

Original amount 7,127,083 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The EPA, the US Department of Justice and West Virginia's environmental agency reached a settlement (consent decree) with Chemours over PFAS discharges into the Cape Fear, Delaware and Ohio rivers, some made without and some in breach of discharge permits, together with TSCA and RCRA violations at four plants. Chemours will pay a civil penalty of 22,500,000 USD in three annual instalments of 7,500,000 USD and carry out remedial measures, including drinking water supply, PFAS controls and a USD 90m mitigation programme, which the EPA puts at over USD 450m in total. The settlement was lodged with the court on 24 June 2026 and is subject to public comment and court approval. The authority allegedly made the findings set out here; this account is not based on a final judgment. The decision is not final.

Authority / court

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) / U.S. Department of Justice mit West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Clean Water Act (NPDES); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

not yet final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Mitigating circumstances

The civil penalty was set on the basis of the company's ability to pay.

Published

24 Jun 2026

Original amount 22,500,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Økokrim (Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime) issued an industrial company producing silicon carbide with a penalty notice of NOK 18,000,000 for breaches of the Pollution Control Act (forurensningsloven) and for giving incorrect information to Miljødirektoratet (Norwegian Environment Agency). In Økokrim's view, the air emission measurements in 2021 were not representative because, among other things, production was lower during the measurement campaigns; this created a risk that considerably more of the carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene was emitted than permitted. The company has accepted the penalty notice.

Authority / court

Økokrim

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Forurensningsloven (Umweltschutzgesetz); falsche Angaben gegenüber Miljødirektoratet

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Manufacturing and mechanical engineering

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

According to Økokrim, managers took the decisions on the non-representative measurements knowing that they would not reflect actual emissions.

Published

18 Jun 2026

Original amount 18,000,000 NOK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Jun 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link

Scotland's environmental regulator SEPA imposed two civil penalties of £35,000 each (£70,000 in total) on salmon processor Scottish Sea Farms. Two ice plants at the Gremista site in Lerwick (Shetland) contained fluorinated greenhouse gases above the threshold of 500 tonnes of CO2 equivalent but had no working leak detection system.

Authority / court

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015; Verordnung (EU) Nr. 517/2014

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Mitigating circumstances

The company has since brought the equipment into compliance.

Published

27 May 2026

Original amount 70,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In April 2026 China Harbour Engineering Company Limited was fined 78,000 HKD at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts (a Hong Kong magistrates' court) under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (Hong Kong's water pollution law) because the company had discharged waste or polluting matter into a water control zone on 14 July 2025; the prosecution was brought by the Environmental Protection Department (Hong Kong's environmental authority). It was the highest fine among the 40 environmental convictions the department published for April 2026.

Authority / court

Eastern Magistrates' Courts, Hongkong (Anklage: Environmental Protection Department)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Water Pollution Control Ordinance (Einleitung von Abfall oder verunreinigenden Stoffen in eine water control zone)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Construction and real estate

Published

22 May 2026

Original amount 78,000 HKD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Around 10,000 heavy-duty Volvo diesel engines from model years 2010 to 2016 used auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs) that were not disclosed during certification and emitted more NOx than permitted. The settlement with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) comprises 17.5 million USD in penalties and costs, 71 million USD for mitigation measures and 108 million USD for emission reduction projects in California.

Authority / court

California Air Resources Board (CARB)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Kalifornische Emissions- und Zertifizierungsvorschriften für schwere Nutzfahrzeugmotoren

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Automotive

Employees

10,000 or more

Mitigating circumstances

Cooperation during the investigation; recall and extended warranty for engines from model years 2014 to 2016.

Published

18 May 2026

Original amount 196,500,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Pyrolysis oil leaked twice at the Lavéra petrochemical site in Martigues: around 50 tonnes in July 2018 through a failed seal into the Anse d'Auguette, part of which reached the sea, and around one tonne in April 2022 through a corroded seawater pipe, of which some 500 kg reached the Anse d'Auguette. Naphtachimie therefore concluded an environmental CJIP (convention judiciaire d'intérêt public, French deferred prosecution agreement) with the Marseille public prosecutor; it pays a public interest fine of 1,200,000 EUR, compensates two environmental associations and will trial, at its own expense, a biological clean-up of the Anse d'Auguette; validated on 13 May 2026.

Authority / court

Parquet de Marseille (Procureur de la République); Validierung durch den Präsidenten des Tribunal judiciaire de Marseille

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Art. 41-1-3 Code de procédure pénale (pollution des eaux)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Published

26 May 2026

Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In two incidents in July and August 2022 around 423,000 litres of untreated sewage escaped in Carramar because plant had not been properly maintained, affecting a residential property, a sports field, bushland and Prospect Creek. After a guilty plea, the Land and Environment Court convicted Sydney Water and imposed AUD 225,000 for breaching its environment protection licence and AUD 15,000 for failing without lawful excuse to provide CCTV footage requested by the EPA.

Authority / court

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA NSW) / Land and Environment Court of NSW

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Bedingungen der Environment Protection Licence; Pflicht zur Vorlage von Informationen und Unterlagen gegenüber der EPA NSW

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Mitigating circumstances

25% discount for an early guilty plea.

Published

7 May 2026

Original amount 240,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 7 May 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In June and July 2020 contractors of the state-owned forestry corporation felled six giant trees and three hollow-bearing trees in Wild Cattle Creek State Forest near Coffs Harbour that should have been retained under the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Approval. On the EPA’s prosecution, the Land and Environment Court convicted the corporation and found harm to koala habitat and cultural harm to the Gumbaynggirr people; following a restorative justice conference, the AUD 450,000 penalty goes to the Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation for remediation projects. The corporation must also commission an independent audit of its procedures and publish the conviction.

Authority / court

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA NSW) / Land and Environment Court of NSW

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Coastal Integrated Forestry Operation Approval (NSW)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Public sector

Repeat case

yes

Published

16 Mar 2026

Original amount 450,000 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 16 Mar 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Between October 2018 and August 2019, untreated sewage entered a brook in Pools Brook Country Park on three occasions – due to a burst rising main, a blockage caused by wet wipes and a failing pipe coupling; during the first incident, fish died in the park lake. Yorkshire Water had already pleaded guilty in January 2024 and had not attended any of the interviews; the court imposed a fine of 733,333 GBP plus costs. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2026, the company had around 4,481 employees.

Authority / court

Derby Crown Court (Anklage: Environment Agency)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulations 12(1)(b) und 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Employees

1,000 to 9,999

Culpability

negligent

Repeat case

yes

Published

23 Feb 2026

Original amount 733,333 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

Chevalier (Construction) was fined HKD 80,000 in January 2026 because on 23 February 2025 the company carried out prescribed construction work in breach of the conditions of its construction noise permit. It was the heaviest single fine among the 34 convictions reported by the Environmental Protection Department for January 2026.

Authority / court

Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts, Hongkong (Anklage: Environmental Protection Department)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Noise Control Ordinance (Bauarbeiten entgegen den Bedingungen einer Construction Noise Permit)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Construction and real estate

Published

23 Feb 2026

Original amount 80,000 HKD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

Clarence Colliery Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Centennial Coal Company, was sentenced by the Land and Environment Court of NSW after pleading guilty to five offences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, after untreated mine water with elevated nickel and zinc levels from the coal mine near Lithgow entered the Wollangambe River in December 2023 and April 2024. The offences comprised two water pollution offences, a licence breach, non-compliance with a prevention notice and a pollution incident response plan that had not been tested for 269 days. The court imposed fines totalling 543,500 AUD and ordered 86,500 AUD for rehabilitation of Long Swamp; in addition, the EPA's legal and investigation costs of 170,000 AUD and 15,548 AUD are payable.

Authority / court

NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA NSW)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) s 120(1) (zwei Fälle), s 64(1), s 97(1), s 153E; Zahlungsanordnung nach s 250(1)(e)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Energy and utilities

Repeat case

yes

Mitigating circumstances

Early guilty pleas (25% discount).

Published

23 Feb 2026

Original amount 543,500 AUD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The Environment Agency accepted an enforcement undertaking from Severn Trent Water under which the company pays £1,500,000 to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, covers the agency's costs and commits to remedial action. It concerns two unauthorised sewage discharges from the Blackminster treatment works near Evesham into Broadway Brook on 12 June and 20 August 2022 and a breach of permit conditions.

Authority / court

Environment Agency

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Reg. 38(1) und 38(2) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010/2016

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Energy and utilities

Original amount 1,500,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 12 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

The Environment Agency accepted an enforcement undertaking from Perenco UK: the company pays £401,447 to five local organisations (£60,000, £30,000, £200,547, £10,000 and £100,900), covers the agency's costs and commits to remedial measures. The underlying offence was a breach of a permit condition: an inadequately maintained oil pipe at the Wytch Farm site had corroded, and on 23 March 2023 crude oil or reservoir fluid escaped into Ower Bay in Poole Harbour. According to the agency, the overall package amounts to around £6.1m, including response and clean-up costs and £620,000 paid to affected parties.

Authority / court

Environment Agency

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Reg. 38(2) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010/2016; Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Energy and utilities

Mitigating circumstances

Substantial costs already incurred for response and clean-up, and measures taken to prevent a recurrence (the agency's reasons for accepting the offer).

Published

13 Mar 2026

Original amount 401,447 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 Dec 2025.

Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link

In July 2021, a blockage in the foul sewer at the Moodiesburn plant (collagen casings for sausages) caused untreated industrial wastewater to back up into the surface water system, polluting the Bothlin Burn with ammonia and organic load. The company pleaded guilty on 11 November 2025; on 24 March 2026, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) reported a fine of 48,000 GBP plus a 3,600 GBP victim surcharge. According to the annual accounts filed with the UK companies register for financial year 2024, the company had around 316 employees.

Authority / court

Airdrie Sheriff Court (Ermittlungen: SEPA, Anklage: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulations 4 und 44(1)(a) Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011; Section 20(3)(a) Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Employees

250 to 999

Published

24 Mar 2026

Original amount 51,600 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 11 Nov 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link

The Naturvårdsverket (Swedish Environmental Protection Agency) imposed a penalty of 142,757,565 SEK on the airline Braathens International Airways because it had not surrendered emission allowances for 99,707 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2024 by the deadline of 30 September 2025. The inflation-adjusted penalty amounts to 129.69 EUR per tonne (12,930,939 EUR) and does not release the company from the obligation to surrender allowances; the company had been declared bankrupt on 30 September 2025. A separate penalty was imposed on its sister company Braathens Regional Airways AB.

Authority / court

Naturvårdsverket

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

10 kap. 5 § förordningen (2020:1180) om vissa utsläpp av växthusgaser; 16 § 3 lagen om vissa utsläpp av växthusgaser; Art. 12 Abs. 3 Richtlinie 2003/87/EG (EU-Emissionshandel)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Transport, logistics and shipping

Mitigating circumstances

None: EU rules allow no exception from the surrender obligation regardless of the company's financial situation.

Published

10 Nov 2025

Original amount 142,757,565 SEK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 Nov 2025.

Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link

Following a loss of steam in April 2019, the ethylene plant in Fife flared for almost a week; the smoke significantly exceeded permit limits, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) received over 900 complaints. Existing procedures and emergency plans should have prevented the incident but were not adequately followed. The company pleaded guilty and was fined 176,000 GBP.

Authority / court

Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court (Ermittlungen: Scottish Environment Protection Agency, SEPA)

Area of law

Environment and sustainability · Emissions and permits

Legal basis

Regulation 67(1)(b) Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012; Section 2 Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Employees

10,000 or more

Culpability

negligent

Published

28 Oct 2025

Original amount 176,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 28 Oct 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link