A MT Cotton abattoir has been fined $225,000 for releasing ammonia into the environment.
The company pleaded guilty to charges of causing serious environmental harm, causing material environmental harm and contravening seven conditions of its environmental authority.
The name of the abattoir cannot be revealed because no conviction was recorded.
An Environment Department spokesperson said that under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 it was not able to name the company concerned.
The Brisbane Magistrates Court was told Environment Department and Logan City Council representatives inspected native Dog Creek downstream of the abattoir from June to October 2014 after reports of fish kills.
The court ordered the company to pay legal costs and $9655 in total to two downstream landholders.
Testing revealed elevated levels of ammonia, which resulted from an uncapped pipe, two other separate broken pipes and overland flow caused by over-irrigation.
Former Redland city councillor Toni Bowler said parents should ensure that their children did not play in Native Dog Creek, given the contamination.
“I’ve seen many children playing in that creek so parents need to be aware that this might have implications,’’ she said.
A departmental spokesperson said EHP took the protection of the environment seriously.
“We expect all environmental authority holders to abide by the conditions of their authorities and we will take action if this does not occur,” the spokesperson said.