A dairy company ordered to suspend operations over repeated pollution incidents has had the suspension lifted by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).
North Cork Creameries in Kanturk, Co Cork, is allowed to restart operations on a phased basis, but must also submit a report by August 31st addressing outstanding issues.
Those include explaining why some pollution test results it submitted in recent weeks showed lower readings than when the EPA tested the samples.
North Cork Creameries must also provide plans to show how facilities at its wastewater treatment plant are sufficient for long-term pollution control for the Allow river into which it discharges.
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It must also provide proposals for continuous monitoring of pollutants at key points on the river instead of sampling at intervals.
A statement from North Cork Creameries welcomed the EPA’s decision to lift the suspension.
“This follows a four-month extensive programme of design, implementation and testing of the necessary improvements and mitigations required to ensure that the highest standards are met and consistent compliance is maintained,” it said.
“North Cork Creameries supports the work of the EPA and endorses the rigorous reviews conducted by the EPA throughout this period, which has enabled the co-operative to put best practices in place.”
However, Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore raised questions about the process.
“I would be concerned that the actions the EPA is now requiring were not addressed before the suspension was lifted,” she said.
“I’m particularly concerned that testing by the company and testing by the EPA showed significantly different results very recently.
“In cases such as this, I think independent monitoring should be required prior to a suspension being lifted.”
Problems at North Cork Creameries emerged during the investigation into the country’s largest fish kill in the Munster Blackwater last August.
The company was cleared of involvement in that incident, but it emerged it had a record of repeated breaches of wastewater discharge limits, with ammonia levels on one occasion 50 times higher than permitted.
The EPA repeatedly issued directions for improvements, but eventually suspended the discharge licence in November, reinstating it in January.
It was suspended again in February and lifted on Thursday.
The EPA, in its letter to the company, warned it that it risked further suspension if it failed to comply with all conditions.
In relation to the differing test results, the EPA said: “The licensee is required to review the licensee’s sampling and monitoring procedures and carry out a comparative analysis to determine why there is a difference in reported results.
“The EPA may carry out an audit to observe the licensee’s sampling and monitoring methods to verify that standard methods are being correctly deployed.”
North Cork Creameries said it was committed to continuing engagement with the EPA.
