Hastings businesses fined for polluting creek with illegal discharge

Two Hawke’s Bay businesses have been fined for turning a Hastings stream gray with an illegal discharge of milk solution.

Farmers Transport Limited and Dynes Transport Limited pleaded guilty to dumping a contaminating milk solution into Irongate Stream on October 7, 2019.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Pollution Hotline received a call reporting that the creek had turned gray on Longlands Rd, Hastings.

Two environmental officers responded to the call and located a pipe that discharged a cloudy liquid directly into Irongate Stream.

Farmers Transport Limited and Dynes Transport Limited were fined $ 20,000 and $ 17,000 respectively by Judge Dickey in Hastings District Court on Wednesday for violating the Resource Management Act of 1991.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) says the court’s decision to fine the two local businesses sends a strong signal to businesses that water pollution in the region will not be tolerated.

Katrina Brunton, policy and regulation manager for the HBRC group, said the council is committed to “rigorously enforcing the rules that protect the health of both our environment and the community.”

It is the third successful prosecution for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council this year, after two other companies were fined $ 11,900 and $ 12,555 for illegal burning.

“We are committed to carrying these activities through the court if necessary. It is one of the strongest signals we can send to discourage others,” Brunton said.

If any member of the public has information on unauthorized discharges to land, air, or water, they should contact HRC’s 24/7 Pollution Hotline at 0800 108 838.