EPA Prosecutes Liffey Meats (Cavan) Limited
On the 5th February 2007 at Virginia District Court, the Environmental Protection Agency took a prosecution against Liffey Meats (Cavan) Limited in relation to offences under Sections 8 and 86(6) of the Environmental Protection Agency Acts 1992 and 2003 for breaches of conditions of its IPC Licence (Reg. No. 0169-01).
The company pleaded guilty to three charges, namely
- Permitting emissions to the water, which exceeded the emission limit values set out in its licence,
- Failing to notify the Agency of these emissions and
- Failing to notify the Agency of a malfunction of control equipment, (aerator of wastewater treatment plant) which was likely to lead to loss of control of the abatement system.
Breach of these conditions had the potential to cause contamination of the receiving waters that eventually flow to Lough Sheelin. Non-notification of such an incident meant that the Agency was not in a position to evaluate or monitor the situation and determine appropriate remedial action. Failure of the wastewater treatment plant’s aerator resulted in an increase in odours from the plant.
On hearing details of the three offences from the EPA’s solicitor, Judge McBride imposed fines of €1,000 each in relation to charges one and three and took the other charge into account. The EPA’s costs of €12,987 were also awarded.
Liffey Meats (Cavan) was granted an IPC licence (Reg.No.0169-01) on 28th April 1998. The facility is located just outside the town of Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan where it operates a cattle-slaughtering unit and associated processing and storage facilities.
This prosecution was taken following an investigation by the Office of Environmental Enforcement with the assistance of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.
This is the fifth prosecution of Liffey Meats (Cavan) Limited taken by the EPA.