An industrial facility in the Shannon Estuary is putting significant pressure on the region’s groundwater according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The findings are contained in the EPAs Industrial and Waste Licence Enforcement report for 2024.
The environmental watchdog says MidWest aluminium refinery Aughinish Alumina which employs over 400 people is one of 24 sites nationwide that is putting significant pressure on groundwater quality.
Programme Manager at the EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement, Pamela McDonnell, says “Inspections are a vital enforcement tool that help us to identify and target those that are failing to comply. We completed 1,300 inspections to industrial and waste sites in 2024 and because 96% of our inspections are unannounced, we gain a true picture of real-time compliance challenges at each site, prompting licensees to remain focussed on compliance every day. Legal action also sends a clear message: that non-compliance has serious consequences. While there has been a notable reduction in complaints from the public in the vicinity of licensed facilities, these remain a valuable source of intelligence for our enforcement activity. The EPA will continue to escalate its enforcement activities at those sites with the poorest compliance records.”
