environment
Industrial chicken producer hits out over Wye and Usk river pollution claim
Lawyers for Avara Foods and Freemans of Newent say legal claim backed by 1,300 people is ‘entirely inferential’
TL;DR
- Avara Foods and its subsidiary Freemans of Newent are facing a lawsuit from over 1,300 individuals for alleged pollution of the River Wye and River Usk.
- The claim, described as potentially the UK's largest environmental pollution claim, blames the companies for the rivers turning green, smelly, and slimy.
- Avara's lawyers argue the claim is 'entirely inferential,' an 'oversimplification,' legally and factually 'misconceived,' and lacks scientific basis.
- Claimants allege that runoff from farms containing high levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, and bacteria from poultry manure and sewage sludge has harmed the rivers.
- The high concentrations of nutrients have caused substantial algae growth, depleting oxygen, killing fish, and creating bad odors.
- Lawyers for the claimants state that the ecological decline has caused harm and seek substantial damages and injunctive relief.
- A judge noted the broad nature of the claim, remarking, 'I was quite frankly taken aback by how the claimants have gone about this.'