Norton Aluminium Ltd. was found guilty and has been fined £6,000 (about US$7,200) by the Cannock Magistrates (United Kingdom) on three charges of failing to take action to ensure its operation did not cause pollution to the environment.
The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under a code that required NAL to comply with the conditions of their permit to operate.
In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay costs of £4,000 (US$4,800)
The company uses scrap aluminum to make its finished product. The company also operates a casting operation on their site. The process, regulated by the IPC Permit, used sand bound together with a substance called phenolic resin.
On March 3, 2004, the Environment Agency was alerted to reports of odors coming from the NAL site.
The Environment Agency started an investigation into the incident. It was found that the activated carbon filter put in over Christmas 2003 was an improvised unit installed to test whether such a filter would reduce incidences of odors. At the time of the incident, in March, the activated carbon had been lost from the equipment and it became apparent that its condition and effectiveness had not been checked since the unit was installed.
The foundry manager had not been supplied with instructions, training or written procedures for the operation or maintenance of the carbon filter.
These failures represented breaches of three conditions of the company’s authorization.