A Birmingham wildlife conservation charity has received £100,000 from a waste operator after water was contaminated after an “intense” fire at one of the company’s sites.

Axil Integrated Services has donated the funds to the Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country after “admitting failures”, the Environment Agency said. 

The EA said that in September 2022, the company had an “intense but short-lived fire” at its site in Cannock, Staffordshire. 

“As a result, the water used to put out the fire was contaminated but was contained on the site and removed,” the EA said. 

“Since then the EA has worked with the waste operator, Axil Integrated Services, to agree remedial works. 

“As part of that agreement the company has offered £100,000 to a partnership of organisations who deliver local nature projects.”

The funds will be spent on the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project, which aims to create a “nature-rich” corridor between Cannock Chase Special Area of Conservation and Sutton Park National Nature Reserve, extending across 12,000 hectares.

It is one of 12 projects that form part of the Purple Horizons scheme, which is led by Natural England working with partners including local councils and wildlife trusts. 

Chloe Hardman, project manager for Purple Horizons Nature at Natural England, said: “We are glad that this funding is being made available to benefit nature in the area between Cannock Chase and Sutton Park.

“It will make a real difference to our partners at wildlife charities and local councils, who are working to create a healthier environment for nature and people.

“We are currently developing the set of projects that will benefit from the funding and these will be announced in due course.” 

Environment Agency officers said the waste operator had co-operated fully following the incident, submitting a full report and statements, admitting fault within two days and carrying out repair work.

Graham Aberley, lead investigator for the Environment Agency, said: “Enforcement undertakings allow polluters to positively address and restore the harm caused to the environment and prevent repeat incidents.

“The Environment Agency is increasingly using this method of enforcement for suitable cases to restore the environment, improve practices of the offending company and avoid longer criminal court cases. However, we will prosecute in appropriate cases. 

“As a result of the enforcement undertaking the Environment Agency has decided not to pursue any possible prosecution or other sanction for an environmental offence which may have been committed.” 

Axel Integrated Services has been contacted for comment.