SINGAPORE - Local food manufacturer Whye Kee Foodstuff has been fined $17,700 for illegal discharge of trade effluent, or liquid waste created by businesses, into public sewers on multiple occasions.

The company was fined $14,400 for similar offences in May last year.

Whye Kee's offences this year were discovered by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) during a site inspection of its premises between September and October last year.

The liquid waste sample collected during the inspection was found to have exceeded allowable limits by more than 120 times.

Investigations found that the company had failed to put measures in place to prevent excessive food waste generated from its manufacturing processes from going into the sewers.

The company also did not pre-treat its waste to meet discharge limits.

In a statement on Thursday (Oct 8), the PUB said it has, from May 4, revoked approval for Whye Kee to discharge its liquid waste into sewers and the company has to engage waste collectors to collect its waste water for off-site disposal.

The national water agency said excessive levels of these substances in the sewage can upset water treatment processes at water reclamation plants and disrupt NEWater production.

Those who illegally discharge liquid waste containing chemical substances exceeding allowable limits could be fined between $5,000 and $15,000 for each offence.