Record £2.8m fine for chemical plant emissions shames oil giant ExxonMobil

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http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/record_2_8m_fine_for_chemical_plant_emissions_shames_oil_giant_exxonmobil_1_2125776

ENERGY giant ExxonMobil has been forced to pay the biggest fine for an environmental offence in British history for failing to report greenhouse gas emissions from its chemicals plant in Scotland.

The world’s largest oil company was hit with the £2.8 million fine by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) for neglecting to account for 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from its ethylene plant in Fife.

The fine was not publicised by Sepa when it was levied in September 2010 and was buried in a report issued last week by the government’s anti-pollution agency.

Environment groups said the scale of the fine should have been broadcast widely to highlight “complacency” in the oil industry and as a deterrent to other companies.