UK companies are paying more than £1.5 million towards helping wildlife and the environment for breaking green laws according to the Environmental Agency.

Business are paying between £1,500 - £375,000 as an alternative to being prosecuted for breaking environmental laws through the pollution of rivers, breaching permit conditions or by avoiding recycling.

The money collected so far – which totals to £1,535,992 – will go to 30 charities and projects to clean up rivers, restock waterway species and for community groups to invest in parkland.

The companies have also accepted responsibility and they have had to demonstrate that they are putting steps in place to repair and reduce their environmental damage.

The measure has been used to restore the environment and hopefully to improve company practices.

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