The EPA has developed a system of performance-based indicators to rank industrial and waste licensed sites in order of priority for enforcement.  We use the National Priority Sites List to target our enforcement effort at the licensed operators with the poorest environmental performance. This helps us to drive improvements in environmental compliance. 

A score is assigned to each licensee based on the scores assigned to them, over the previous six months, under four key indicators of environmental performance and licence compliance: 

  • complaints 
  • incidents 
  • compliance investigations (CIs) 
  • non-compliances (NCs) with the licence

Higher scores indicate poorer compliance at a licensed site. 

The EPA updates the National Priority Sites list on a quarterly basis. 

See details about the NPS system and how the scores are allocated. 

National Priority sites Q4 2022

Licensee County Issue

Arrow Group Limited*

Kildare

Odour and noise 

Forge Hill Recycling Ltd

Cork

Odour & waste management practices

Gairdini (t/a Munster Joinery)

Cork

Emissions to water

North Cork Co-op Creameries Limited

Cork

Wastewater treatment 

Timoleague Agri Gen Limited

Cork

Odour & facility infrastructure 

National priority sites list During 2022 

 X - Indicates the site was on the NPS at the end of that quarter

Licensee County Issue Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Arrow Group Limited*

Kildare

Odour and noise 

X

X

X

X

Aurivo Dairy Ingredients Limited

Roscommon

Wastewater treatment & odour

 

 

X

 

Ballyguyroe Landfill Site (Cork Co. Co.)

Cork

Landfill gas and leachate management 

X

X

X

 

City Bin Co Ltd

Galway

Emissions to water & waste management practices

 

 

X

 

Euroflex Teoranta

Donegal

Emissions to air 

 

X

X

 

Forge Hill Recycling Ltd

Cork

Odour & waste management practices

 

 

X

X

Gairdini (t/a Munster Joinery)

Cork

Emissions to water

 

 

X

X

Kepak Athleague

Roscommon

Wastewater treatment

 

 

X

 

North Cork Co-op Creameries Limited

Cork

Wastewater treatment 

 

X

X

X

Staunton Foods Ltd

Cork

Noise

X

X

 

 

SRCL Limited

Dublin

Waste handling & storage 

 

X

X

 

Timoleague Agri Gen Limited

Cork

Odour & facility infrastructure 

X

X

X

X

Western Brand Group Unlimited Company

Mayo

Wastewater treatment 

 

X

X

 

*Arrow Group Limited includes the activities at this licensed site of Dawn Farm Foods Ltd, TCFG Naas Ltd (also known as The Culinary Food Group), QK Coldstorecs Ltd, Dawn Farms Distribution Ltd, and Maudlins Waste Management Ltd. 

The EPA has developed a system to rank industrial and waste licensed sites in order of priority for enforcement. The National Priority Sites List will be used to target our enforcement effort at the poorest performing sites in order to drive improvements in environmental compliance.

A score is assigned to each facility based on enforcement factors such as complaints, incidents, compliance investigations (CIs), and non-compliances (NCs) with the licence. 

Popular FAQ's

  • How can a site get off the National Priority Sites List?

    A National Priority Site must address the environmental issues and restore compliance in order to reduce its score.

  • What happens to a site that is on the National Priority List?

    The EPA is using the National Priority Sites to focus its enforcement effort at the worst performing sites.  Sites that appear on the list are subject to an escalation of enforcement action by the EPA, up to and including legal action, suspension or revocation. 

  • How does a licensed site know their score?

    Licensed sites are informed in writing when they are on the National Priority Site List.

    All licensed sites can calculate their score based on the compliance information available to them.

  • What time period is used to compile the score?

    The National Priority Sites List is produced by the EPA on a quarterly basis based on data for the previous 6 months. 

  • What score does a National Priority Site have to achieve?

    A site becomes a National Priority Site when it has a total score of more than 30 points and a CI score of 10 points or more.