Donald Trump’s Aberdeenshire golf resort has breached sewage contamination limits on 14 occasions since 2019, according to documents released by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa).
The Trump International Golf Links, located on the Menie estate north of Aberdeen, comprises a 36-hole course, a five-star hotel, a whisky bar and two restaurants. The site operates a private sewage system that treats wastewater before discharging it into the ground via gravel beds in raised filter mounds.
Groundwater samples taken from the site revealed repeated breaches of contamination thresholds, including four incidents in 2024 and one in the first half of this year. The samples exceeded permitted levels for biomechanical oxygen demand, suspended solids and ammoniacal nitrogen—all indicators of improperly treated human waste.
Sepa classified eight of the 14 breaches as “upper tier” events, defined as extreme occurrences with the potential to cause immediate and serious environmental harm. Such incidents may trigger enforcement action.
The revelations came as Trump undertakes a state visit to the United Kingdom, staying at Windsor Castle and attending a state banquet hosted by King Charles. His itinerary includes a military flypast and other ceremonial engagements.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has pledged to tackle the sewage crisis affecting Britain’s rivers and coastal waters, was hosted by Trump at the Aberdeenshire resort in July. During a press conference, the president praised his “opulent and beautiful” properties, while Starmer appeared visibly uncomfortable.
Sarah Malone, executive vice-president of Trump International, Scotland, disputed Sepa’s findings. She stated that the resort’s wastewater licence, first issued in 2013, had never been refused renewal.
“When the position was reviewed in August last year, leading environmental engineers submitted a detailed report demonstrating that there was no environmental impact from the way wastewater was being treated, and this report was accepted by Sepa,” she said.
Malone added that the claim of 14 breaches was misleading, arguing that a certain number of exceedances are permissible given the frequency of monitoring. She described the infractions as rare and minor, and said they were contested by independent engineers commissioned by the resort.
“Far from causing environmental damage, we are extremely proud of the environmental contribution at our golf courses,” she said, citing the planting of native grasses, translocation of indigenous vegetation, and the creation of new wetland habitats.
A Sepa spokesperson acknowledged the breaches but said the environmental impact was minimal. “The treated effluent passes through a soak-away system after the sampling point, providing further natural filtration before entering the ground,” they said. “The soak-away significantly reduces the risk of the effluent impacting the environment.”
The golf course was built in 2012 despite initial objections from Sepa, which raised concerns over the lack of connection to the public sewage network. Environmental campaigners have long criticised the development, claiming it damaged the dune system at nearby Foveran Links, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. In 2020, Scotland’s protected areas committee concluded that parts of the dune system no longer merited the SSSI designation.
