The Environmental Protection Agency has not ruled out a prosecution against the Irish Refining Company at Whitegate in Cork Harbour - the Republic's only refinery - following the seepage into harbour waters yesterday of 700 gallons of heavy fuel oil. It is understood that a ruptured pipeline caused the leakage some time between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. The spillage was first noticed by an employee who raised the al arm. The refinery's emergency procedures were immediately put into action and a clean-up crew was despatched to the nearby shoreline.
Initially, it was thought that neither wildlife nor beaches in the area were affected, but it has since become apparent that some bird life has suffered and that the rocky shoreline at Graball Bay, across the harbour from Whitegate, has been polluted by the heavy fuel oil. The prevailing winds and the outgoing tide pushed the oil globules to the western entrance of the harbour at Graball, a particularly inaccessible area with high cliffs and difficult roads to negotiate.
This meant the clean-up operation had to be done by teams working on the shoreline. According to the EPA, dispersal agents were not used.
A spokesman for the EPA in Cork said last night that a prosecution against the company had not been discounted and that Irish Refining would, at the very least, be held accountable for the total clean-up cost. This could run to thousands of pounds, he added.
In a statement last evening the refinery said it was working with the various State and regulatory agencies to contain the spillage.
"Some 700 gallons of fuel oil are estimated to have leaked from a line at the refinery jetty between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Operations were immediately suspended and the leak was isolated. The refinery's oil spill contingency plan was also put into operation . . . Irish Refining have been working with Cork County Council to ensure that the spillage is cleaned as quickly as possible. Lack of access to Graball Bay has restricted the type of eq uipment which can be used, requi ring mainly a manual clean-up operation. All resources required for the operation are being made available.
"Meanwhile, the small amount of oil which remained in the harbour was contained by the use of pollution control booms prior to recovery. An investigation has begun to determine the full cause of the leak. As well as advising Cork County Council, the refinery notified the Harbour Authorities, the Irish Marine Emergency Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, of the spillage," the statement said.