NI animal feed firm pledges efficiency improvements

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has agreed to minimise its enforcement of an animal feed manufacturer in return for making its mill more energy efficient.

John Thompson and Sons Ltd (known as Thompsons) signed a government-business deal known as a ‘prosperity agreement’ with the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland (DOENI) on 27 July.

It is the third such voluntary agreement, following in the footsteps of Lafarge Tarmac and Linden Foods and Linergy. The idea, championed by former NIEA chief executive Terry A’Hearn, is to reduce the regulatory burden on companies that are already compliant and encourage them to improve their environmental impacts.