Commentary on Sections Part 8 – Miscellaneous and Supplementary Section 73 – Offences relating to pollution etc.: penalties on conviction
This section increases from £30,000 to £50,000, the maximum fine on summary conviction that may be provided for in Regulations made under pollution prevention and control provisions in the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002. This will enable the maximum fines on summary conviction in the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 concerning, for example, contravention of the requirement for a permit to operate an installation or mobile plant, failure to comply with or to contravene a condition of a permit and failure to comply with the requirements of an enforcement notice or a suspension notice, to be brought into line with the equivalent maximum fines in respect of illegal waste activity set out in the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 in order to ensure consistency in this area of regulation.  The increase to £50,000 also brings the level of fine into line with that which applies in England and Wales.