EPA investigating 'discharge' by North Cork Creameries to the River Allow
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today (Thursday, June 26) confirmed that it is investigating a discharge by North Cork Creameries to the River Allow.
The EPA said it has opened a "compliance Investigation" in relation to the discharge incident which occurred last Sunday (June 22).
In a statement issued to Agriland the EPA said they were "notified by North Cork Creameries, Kanturk, Co Cork P1051 at 2.15pm on Sunday (June 22), that a discharge had occurred to the River Allow".
The EPA added: "The operator reported that the discharge to the river was stopped at 10.00am that Sunday morning.
"The EPA has confirmed with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that they were onsite on Sunday and confirmed that a discharge of polluting matter had occurred.
"Following receipt of the incident notification, EPA inspectors visited the site on Monday (June 23)".
According to the agency during its inspection it was confirmed that the "discharge point had been shut off".
The EPA stated: "The operator reported that the incident occurred due to an unexpected surge 'shock load' of whey from a cleaning activity being discharged to the wastewater treatment plant which resulted in contaminated effluent being released to the River Allow".
The co-op confirmed to the EPA on Wednesday (June 25) that the "discharge has not recommenced, and that the effluent continues to be removed from the site to authorised waste facilities".
The EPA said it will require that "corrective actions are put in place to eliminate the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future".
"No reports of a fish kill that might be linked to the discharge have been received by the agency.
"Local anglers have reported that the river below the outfall point has been voluntarily closed to fishing for 3.5 kilometres downstream," the EPA stated.
Meanwhile the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has said it is investigating "a pollution discharge into the River Allow, near Kanturk, Co Cork".
IFI said: “There is significant habitat damage present, with solids and sewage fungus visible on the bed of the river for several hundred metres.
“IFI environmental officers have taken samples of the water, and are awaiting analysis of the results.
“Inland Fisheries Ireland staff will continue to monitor the scene, and is also liaising with the EPA on the matter."
The IFI said 'the impacted site is not the same stretch of river affected by a major fish kill in the River Allow in June 2024 at Freemount, north Co. Cork'.
