Lords to hear appeal in key pollution liability case

Eastern Counties Leather (ECL) sought leave to appeal to the House of Lords following the Court of Appeal's decision that it should pay Cambridge Water Company almost £1 million in damages for contaminating one of its boreholes with chlorinated solvents.

The Appeal Court held that ECL was liable for damage under nuisance law regardless of any fault on its part. The judgement caused considerable concern among industry and insurers in