Fish deaths donation to fund river restoration

The firm has paid out thousands after a waste leak at its Derby site

A Derby firm has paid thousands to improve a river after its pollution led to the deaths of hundreds of fish.

In August 2021, a trade waste leak from Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Ltd, now known as Reckitt, went into the Cuttle Brook as it flowed through the Sinfin Golf Course.

The leak led to the death of 371 bullhead and 10 stickleback fish, caused the “prolific” growth of sewage fungus in the river and left a perfumed odour, said the Environment Agency.

As part of an Enforcement Undertaking accepted by the firm for breaching environmental legislation, £150,000 has been paid to East Mercia Rivers Trust to fund habitat restoration on the upper River Witham in Lincolnshire.

The firm, which makes household cleaning, healthcare and child nutrition products including K-Y, Nurofen, Durex and Dettol, was seeping pollution into the Cuttle Brook from the riverbank at the border of its Sinfin Lane site.

The pollution caused low oxygen levels in the water and according to the Environment Agency was 130 times more polluting than untreated sewage.

The leak caused sewage fungus to grow in Cuttle Brook

Reckitt investigated and took prompt action to stop the leak by the following day.

The company has since spent £300,000 upgrading drainage to prevent the incident happening again, and paid the Environment Agency’s costs of more than £10,000.

Paul Chambers, environment officer for the Environment Agency, said Reckitt had taken positive steps to address and restore the harm caused rather than face prosecution.

The River Witham flows from near Grantham through Lincoln and then on to the coast at Boston in Lincolnshire

Rachel Butler, executive director at East Mercia Rivers Trust, said: “The donation has directly contributed towards a major river restoration project.

“An important limestone river, this watercourse forms the headwaters of the Witham catchment and is home to white-clawed crayfish and brown trout amongst other native flora and fauna.”

A spokesperson for Reckitt said the firm "deeply regrets" the incident and has "cooperated fully" with the Environment Agency investigation.

"We took immediate remedial steps," they added. "And we have paid a sum of £150,000 to a rivers trust to fund habitat restoration.

"We continue to further strengthen and develop our environmental management systems, minimising the environmental impact of our business while supporting more sustainable use of natural resources such as water where we work."

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