Irish Examiner - 04/08/05
Firm made wrong call over toxic spill, says EPA
By Sean O’Riordan

THE Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) deputy director said last night that management at a pharmaceutical plant were wrong to classify a 250-tonne spillage of caustic soda into the sea as a non-urgent incident.

Philip Larkin claimed the company involved may face prosecution.

He made his comments at a meeting organised by the Green Party which was attended by more than 80 people. Many angry locals said they had lost faith in the environmental watchdog following its handling of the spillage at the ADM plant in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, on July 3 last.

Under guidelines, companies such as ADM are obliged to inform the EPA of accidents, and are also obliged to categorise them as ‘urgent or ‘non-urgent’.

“In my view, this was an urgent event. They made the wrong call,” Mr Larkin said.

He agreed legislation on the matter was open to interpretation, but added that, in his opinion, caustic soda was “a hazardous material”.

He said the EPA had already received a report on the incident from ADM but had asked the company for further clarification on some matters.

Green Party TD Dan Boyle said it was unacceptable that it took three weeks for the public to be informed of the ADM spillage.

“If this was Sellafield we would be shouting and roaring. Ireland is currently being investigated for 57 complaints for failing to properly implement EU Environmental directives,” he said.