EPA Prosecutes Waterford County Council

On the 01 June 2006 at Waterford Circuit Court, Waterford County Council pleaded guilty to two offences under Sections 39(1) and 39(9) of the Waste Management Acts 1996-2003 for breaches of its Waste Licence (Reg. No. 75-1) for Tramore Landfill, Tramore Co. Waterford.

The Council admitted breaching conditions of its waste licence by failing to put in place the infrastructure necessary for the collection and management of landfill gas and failing to install a final cap across filled cells at its landfill facility at Tramore within the timeframe specified in the licence. The absence of this infrastructure increases the potential for pollution to atmosphere, surface and groundwater.

On hearing details of the offences, Judge O’Shea imposed fines totalling €4000 and the EPA’s costs of €12,719 were also awarded.

Waterford County Council was granted a waste licence on 25 September 2001 for the continued operation of an existing landfill and civic waste facility at Tramore Landfill, Tramore, Co. Waterford. The licence was granted subject to certain conditions amongst which was the requirement that infrastructure for the collection and management of landfill gas was to be installed by 25 September 2002. Also permanent capping of filled cells, to the specifications set out in the licence, was to be carried out within eighteen months of the cells been filled to their required levels.

This prosecution was taken following numerous inspections and audits undertaken by EPA inspectors between December 2003 and July 2004. The prosecution was originally taken by the EPA in Waterford District Court on 10 June 2005 but due to the seriousness of the offences was refused jurisdiction and was then referred to the DPP for prosecution on indictment.