Irish Cement is being taken to court over emissions from its Limerick plant
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking action against the building company.
IRISH CEMENT IS being taken to court by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over emissions from its Limerick plant.
A spokeswoman for the EPA confirmed that the organisation did issue a summons to Irish Cement. The first date is set to come before Limerick District Court on 2 March.
A spokesman for Irish Cement said that the company “can confirm that it has received a District Court summons from the EPA in relation to dust emission incidents earlier this year at the Mungret factory”.
The case, first reported by the Limerick Leader, relates to several dust emissions from its plant in Mungret.
This marks an escalation of action by the EPA against Irish Cement, which is a subsidiary of Ireland’s biggest building company, CRH.
Earlier this year the environmental watchdog added the plant in Mungret to an official list of facilities that are considered to have significant environmental issues.
The EPA said that the site was one of five ‘national priority sites’ it identified.
It warned at the time that it would “escalate enforcement action against companies, and their directors” if compliance did not improve.
Controversy
As previously reported by Fora, Irish Cement’s Limerick factory has been the source of considerable controversy over the past year or so.
There have been several dust emissions from the Mungret plant in recent years, including one in early April when many residents of a nearby estate found dust on their cars.
While authorities have said that the releases are not harmful, locals are worried about the health impacts of emissions.
They are now opposing a plan by the company to burn alternative waste such as used tyres and solvents at the plant.
While Irish Cement has repeatedly said the combustion will be safe, many locals do not trust the firm. Over 1,000 people, including many prominent local politicians, joined a recent march opposing the new development.
