The Environmental Protection Ministry ordered the Tnuva dairy conglomerate to pay a NIS 15 million ($3.96 million) pollution fine Thursday – the biggest fine ever imposed on an Israeli company for environmental violations to-date. Tnuva was found to be in violation of six environmental codes pertaining to waste disposal, particularly in how it pumped wastewater into the Mediterranean Ocean. Related stories: Tnuva fined NIS 55M for silicone in milk scandal Tnuva closing dairy in Romania Tnuva selling property for $500 million The interministerial committee on waste management granted Tnuva permission to dispose of its waste through the Shafdan Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Center and into the ocean, since it proved semi-harmful to reclaimed wastewater, which is utilized in Israel for agricultural irrigation. The permit, however, explicitly lists the brine levels allowed to be pumped into the ocean and according to the ministry, Tnuva was in near-constant violation of those levels in 2009-2010. The company also ignored various citation to that effect. According to the ministry's guidelines the fine imposed on a company is determined in direct ratio to its annual revenue. A company like Tnuva, which has a revenue of over NIS 500 million, is subjected to a fine of NIS 2.4 million ($634,000) per violation. The previous "record holder" for a pollution fine was Israel Oil Refineries: The company was ordered to pay NIS 1.6 million ($423,000) in 2005, for exceeded air pollution levels. "Israel's shores are a unique natural resource and we will not allow them to become polluted so industrialists can line their pockets," Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said Thursday. "We will continue to demand industries invest resources in developing the best possible technology to reduce pollution – just as much as they invest in marketing," he said. Tnuva has 30 days to appeal the order. A company statement said that the ministry's order "has yet to be received" and once it arrives the company will study it further. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter