Trump Scotland Golf Course Faces Sewage Pollution Allegations
Aberdeenshire, Scotland – Donald Trump’s golf course in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is facing scrutiny after being accused of breaching permitted sewage discharge limits, according to a report by The Guardian. The Scottish Surroundings Protection Agency (Sepa) investigated the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, and found instances where effluent levels exceeded those allowed under it’s operating license.
The breaches relate to the discharge of treated effluent from the course’s wastewater treatment plant. While Sepa acknowledged the performance fell short of expectations, a spokesperson stated their risk-based assessment concluded the environmental impact was “minimal.” The effluent passes through a soak-away system designed to provide further natural filtration before entering the ground, which Sepa says “significantly reduces the risk of the effluent impacting the environment.”
Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, was built on the Menie estate in 2012. The development has long been controversial, with campaigners alleging construction damaged the nearby Foveran Links, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In 2020, Scotland’s protected areas committee partially removed the SSSI designation from parts of the dune system.
Sepa initially opposed the golf course plans, in part due to the lack of a connection to the public sewage system. The allegations surface months after Trump hosted UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his Scottish golf courses in July, during which trump extensively promoted his “opulent and lovely” resorts.
