3 milk processors to be targeted for EPA enforcement
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today (Tuesday, November 12) published its National Priority Sites (NPS) list for quarter three 2024 with three milk processors listed.
The NPS system is a system of performance-based indicators to rank industrial and waste licensed sites in order of priority for enforcement.
This allows the EPA to target its enforcement effort at the licensed operators with the poorest environmental performance.
Commenting on the publication, director, EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, Dr. Tom Ryan said: “Our enforcement activities are risk based and we prioritise sites that are not complying with their licence.
"As noted in the EPA’s recent State of the Environment Report, a disproportionate number of sites on the National Priority Sites list have been from the dairy processing and waste sectors. This trend continued in Quarter 3 2024.
"The seven sites on the current list will be the subject of targeted enforcement action to ensure that the environmental issues are addressed, and compliance is restored," he added.
Programme manager of the EPA’s Industrial Licence Enforcement Programme, Pamela McDonnell added: “Three of the sites on the National Priority Sites List, North Cork Co-Op Creameries Ltd., Tipperary Co-operative Creamery Ltd., and Aurivo Consumer Foods Ltd., are milk processing sites.
"Each of these has featured on the National Priority Sites List previously. Milk and milk effluent pose a significant risk to local streams and rivers if it is not carefully managed.
"The dairy sector must prioritise investment in environmental controls to prevent the discharge of polluting material. This remains a priority issue for the EPA," she said.
Other sites on the National Priority Sites list also pose a risk to water quality according to the EPA.
The waste sites on the list include a non-hazardous waste transfer station and an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility. Both sites failed to provide sufficient infrastructure to protect groundwater and surface water, according to the agency.
| Licensee | Sector | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| A pig farmer, Co. Longford | Intensive agriculture | Discharges to water, waste management & facility management |
| Aurivo Consumer Foods Ltd., Co. Donegal. | Food & drink | Discharges to water |
| CRM Pigs Ltd., Co. Cavan | Intensive agriculture | Discharges to water, waste management & facility management |
| North Cork Co-Op Creameries Ltd., Co. Cork | Food & drink | Discharges to water & air emissions |
| Starrus Eco Holdings Ltd., Waterford City | Non-Hazardous Waste Transfer Stations | Discharges to water & facility management |
| Timoleague Agri Gen Ltd., Co. Cork | Anaerobic digestion | Infrastructure & facility management |
| Tipperary Co-operative Creamery Ltd., Co. Tipperary | Food & drink | Discharges to water & infrastructure |
At the two intensive agriculture sites on the list, poor management of waste and storm water increased the risk of contaminated discharges was cited by the EPA.
