EPA Prosecutes Cork County Council - Raffeen Landfill Site, (Reg No. W0023-01)

Hearing Date: May 26, 2021

On the 26th May 2021 the Environmental Protection Agency prosecuted Cork County Council, Raffeen Landfill Site, Raffeen, Kerrycurrihy, County Cork at Cork City District Court.

Cork County Council pleaded guilty to breaches of conditions of its Waste Licence W0023-01 by:

  • Failing on or about the 3rd day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 7.1 of its Waste Licence, in that there was an emission of ammonia of environmental significance to the Monkstown Creek Estuary from the facility;

 

  • Failing on or about the 10th day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 7.1 of its Waste Licence, in that there was an emission of ammonia of environmental significance to the Monkstown Creek Estuary from the facility;

 

  • Failing during the period commencing on or about the 30th day of November 2019 and ending on or about the 12th day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 3.3 of its Waste Licence, in that they failed to notify the South Western Regional Fisheries Board as soon as practicable and in any case before 10.00am on the following working day of an incident relating to a discharge to surface water, namely the discharge of landfill leachate to the Monkstown Creek Estuary from the facility which commenced on or about the 29th day of November 2019;

 

  • Failing on or about the 6th day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 5.8 of its Waste Licence, in that they excavated wastes, once deposited and covered, by removing a section of the landfill cap and digging a hole in the waste mass at the point of a leachate breakout without the prior agreement of the Agency;

 

  • Failing during the period commencing on or about the 29th day of November 2019 and ending on or about the 19th day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 4.14.3 of its Waste Licence, in that they failed to collect and extract for treatment at an authorised facility all leachate generated at the facility;

 

  • Failing on the 10th day of December 2019 to comply with Condition 2.9 of its Waste Licence, in that the facility manager or a suitably qualified and experienced deputy was not present on site at all times during the operation of the facility.

Judge O’Leary convicted Cork County Council on all 6 charges and imposed total fine of €4,250.00.  Agency costs were also awarded.