EPA Prosecutes Waterford Crystal Limited

On the 1st April 2005 at Waterford District Court, Waterford Crystal Limited pleaded guilty to a charge under Sections 8 and 84(2) of the Environmental Protection Agency Acts, 1992 and 2003 after the company had breached conditions of its Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence.

The company admitted sending waste off site to disposal/recovery facilities, which did not have the prior written agreement of the Agency.

The Court heard that during the period of February to July 2004 2,538 tonnes of gypsum waste from the effluent treatment plant was sent to unauthorised outlets, of which 2,159 tonnes went to mushroom composters, three of which were in the UK.

The court imposed a fine of €2,500 and costs totalling €5,816 were awarded to the EPA.

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

This prosecution was taken following the outcome of OEE site investigations.