JOHNSON Matthey has been fined £35,000 for polluting the environment. The case was brought against the giant Royston-based company by the Environment Agency at Cheshunt Magistrates Court on Friday. The company admitted four charges of emitting high level

JOHNSON Matthey has been fined £35,000 for polluting the environment.

The case was brought against the giant Royston-based company by the Environment Agency at Cheshunt Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The company admitted four charges of emitting high levels of substances (oxides of nitrogen) into the atmosphere, failing to operate an automatic process shutdown system and failing to give employees appropriate training and written instructions to enable them to carry out their duties.

The incidents which took place between January 2002 and July 2003 were in breach of the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations and as a result the firm was also ordered to pay £30,000 in costs.

On behalf of the Environment Agency, environment manager, Kevin Rutterford said: "In each of the failures by the defendant to comply with the terms of the permit, its conduct fell very significantly below the standards required of it and to be expected of a company of its size and experience working in such an industry."

In mitigation David Lamming said Johnson Matthey took its environmental responsibilities very seriously and never intended to cause an offence.

He said it was an 'oversight' and that the staff are now fully trained following cooperation with the Environment Agency.