EPA Prosecutes Waterford Crystal

On the 16th July 2004 at Waterford District Court, Waterford Crystal Limited pleaded guilty to three charges under Sections 8 and 84(2) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 after the company had breached conditions of its Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence.

The company admitted breaching limits set in the licence for discharges to sewer and air, and failure to provide adequate bunding for storing tank and drums.

The Court heard that, since the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) took the proceedings, the company had invested significant capital, and resources in an effort to comply with the conditions of its licence.

The court imposed a fine of €1,000 for each of the three charges. Costs totalling €5,602 were awarded to the Agency.

The company, located at Kilbarry, Waterford was issued with an IPC licence on 19th September 1997 (Reg. No. 157*) for the production of glass (special) in plants with a capacity exceeding 5,000 tonnes per year.

The OEE took the prosecution in light of the results of its own sampling and analysis of emissions to water, the results of the company’s monitoring of emissions to atmosphere and site investigations by the OEE.

*The Agency issued a revised licence to the company (Reg. No. 584) on 14th August 2003