Update 9th May 2025.
The EPA is continuing to receive complaints regarding creosote odour in and around Kill, Co. Kildare.
In response to complaints received from concerned members of the public relating to creosote type odour in the vicinity of the Scanpole site, EPA has been conducting an investigation into the source and level of these odours. As part of that investigation, EPA Inspectors have conducted site inspections and have confirmed creosote type odour in the Kill area. While EPA site inspections to date indicate that both the Scanpole site and the ESB Pole Storage Yard may be contributing to the odour experienced off-site, the primary source has not yet been determined.
This determination has been complicated by the proximity of both potential sources i.e. Scanpole or the ESB Pole Storage yard.
Scanpole Ireland Limited, formally PDM Timber Treatment Limited, was granted a Licence by the EPA on the 23/12/1998 for the preservation of wood and wood products with chemical with a production capacity exceeding 75m3 per day other than exclusively treating against sapstain. The licence was revised by the EPA on the 17/07/2019 (IE Licence P0325-02).
In accordance with its EPA licence, Scanpole Ireland Limited treats electricity and telephone poles with creosote and temporarily stores them on site. The site is situated adjacent to an ESB Pole Storage Yard, which also stores creosote-treated poles some of which are supplied by Scanpole Ireland Limited. It should be noted that the ESB Pole Storage Yard is not an EPA licensed site and environmental concerns in relation to that site come within the remit of Kildare County Council.
To bring this investigation to a conclusion and to determine what actions can be taken and by which site, the EPA are installing ‘electronic noses’ (odour sensing devices) at strategic locations on both sites in the coming weeks. These devices can identify and measure odorous substances and assist with the final determination of the primary source site.
Once the EPA’s investigation is complete, EPA will be in a better position to identify what actions need to be taken and by what site. The outcome of the investigation will be shared with Kildare County Council, who are the enforcement authority in relation to the ESB Pole Storage yard, and it will be published on EPA’s website.
Further details in relation to enforcement history of the Scanpole licence (IE Licence P0325-02) is available on LEAP Online.
Complaints can be lodged directly with the EPA via our website