More than £1.7 million has made its way to environmental charities or projects across Yorkshire last year, thanks to Enforcement Undertakings (EUs) paid by companies or individuals found to have been damaging our environment and breaching the law.
The EUs, amounting to £1,718,128.19 will go to a range of charities including Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, The Aire Rivers Trust and Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust to support their work across the region.
An Enforcement Undertaking is a voluntary offer made by companies and individuals to make amends for their offending, including donations to an environmental charity to carry out environmental improvements in the local area.
In Yorkshire, nine EUs were agreed by the Environment Agency in 2023, an increase from four in 2022.
Protecting the environment our 'utmost priority'
Mike Dugher, Environment Agency Area Director for Yorkshire, said:
Protecting the environment in Yorkshire and taking action against those that damage or threaten this is our utmost priority.
While we will always take forward prosecutions in the most serious cases, Enforcement Undertakings are an effective enforcement tool to allow companies to put things right and contribute to environmental improvements.
They allow polluters to correct and restore the harm caused to the environment and prevent repeat incidents by improving their procedures, helping ensure future compliance with environmental requirements.
Throughout 2024, the Environment Agency will continue to take enforcement action against operators to ensure that compliance with environmental permits and regulations is maintained.
