Stanlow oil refinery breached pollution limits 58 times in two years, documents show

One of Britain’s largest oil refineries released pollutants into local rivers and the Mersey Estuary dozens of times in 2023 and 2024, according to documents shared exclusively with the BBC.

Environmental breaches at Stanlow refinery

EET Fuels, formerly known as Essar, operates the Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Earlier this year, the company pleaded guilty to 12 counts of breaching environmental laws between 2018 and 2020.

However, documents obtained by investigative journalists from Source Materials indicate that further leaks occurred at the refinery, releasing toxic chemicals and oil into waterways and groundwater.

EET Fuels said it “takes our environmental responsibilities extremely seriously”.

The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed that it was investigating the breaches.

An EA report on activity at the refinery, revealed by Environmental Journalists’ Source Materials, shows that permitted levels of chemical emissions were exceeded by hundreds of times in 2023 and 2024.

The regulator determined that EET Fuels had breached the conditions of its licence 58 times over the two-year period, potentially amounting to misconduct.

Toxic chemicals entered local waterways

The documents said the pollution included toxic chemicals such as cyanide, benzene and heavy oil. These substances leaked into the air and local waterways, including Thornton Brook and the River Gowy, which flow into the Mersey Estuary.

The refinery’s licence allows controlled amounts of oil and chemicals to be released into the air and waterways. However, measures must be taken to limit pollution and reduce harm to the environment and human health.

The Mersey Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to endangered species, including dolphins. It is also a breeding ground for rare birds.

Wildlife at risk in the Mersey Estuary

Charlotte Harris, chief executive of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Species such as black-tailed sandpiper and red-footed sandpiper will travel all over the world to feed and roost on the lands around the River Mersey.”

Ms Harris said this was possible because organisations including the Wildlife Trust had worked for many years to clean up pollution from traditional industries in the area.

“We have seen Atlantic salmon return to the river, and we have also seen the endangered European eel migrate up the Mersey and enter the Gowy River each year to breed,” she said.

Stanlow refinery’s role in UK fuel supply

Stanlow is one of only four remaining oil refineries in the UK. It processes 10 million tonnes of crude oil each year and produces around 18% of the country’s road transport fuel for cars and lorries.

EET Fuels acquired the refinery from Shell in 2011 for £842m and has been granted a licence to operate the site.