Airport pleads guilty to river pollution charges

East Midlands Airport pleaded guilty to three charges at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday

East Midlands Airport (EMA) has pleaded guilty to polluting the River Trent with waste water containing runway de-icer on three occasions.

The airport, near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, was prosecuted by the Environment Agency for breaching regulations in 2022.

At Derby Crown Court on Tuesday, East Midlands International Airport Ltd pleaded guilty to three charges of contravening the requirements of an environmental permit.

An EMA spokesperson said: "We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and work closely with the Environment Agency on the operation of our water drainage system."

Aquatic life threatened

The airport had previously denied six charges in a hearing on 13 February 2024, but has now pleaded guilty to three offences dating back to January and February 2022.

The waste water that caused the permit breach was from the use of de-icer on the runways, the Environment Agency said.

It was found the discharge exceeded limits for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) - an indicator of organic pollution in a water environment.

The higher the BOD, the greater the potential for oxygen levels in the water to fall, which can stress or, in extreme cases, kill aquatic life.

The case was adjourned for sentencing at the same court on 25 July.

EMA's spokesperson added: "We are unable to comment further until the case reaches its full conclusion."