The Agency has received many odour complaints from the public in the Carrigtwohill area. Based on our investigations to date, it appears that the odour most likely relates to an ongoing issue at the Merck Millipore Limited facility in Carrigtwohill, County Cork.
Merck Millipore Limited holds an EPA licence (register no. P0571-04), details of which are available via the on the EPA website.
The site has been experiencing difficulties with the odour abatement unit at its waste water treatment plant, which is located adjacent to the N25. This unit has recently undergone repairs, which coincides with the increased reports of odour in the area, and the EPA is satisfied that it is the central cause of the odours being experienced in the vicinity of the site.
The Agency is carrying out a detailed investigation in relation to this odour, including odour assessments in the Carrigtwohill area. The Agency is in daily contact with the licensee, who we have instructed to take comprehensive corrective and preventative actions to cease the odour and to prevent recurrence. Initial assessment of the situation has identified an immediate requirement for additional abatement infrastructure to address this matter fully, and the operator has committed to procuring the delivery of this infrastructure as quickly as possible.
The EPA will maintain close surveillance of the operator’s corrective and preventative actions to achieve an early conclusion of the odour problem at Merck Millipore Ltd.
Where the Agency forms the view that there are breaches of the requirements of the licence that are not being addressed by the licensee, further enforcement action will be considered by the EPA in line with its enforcement policy.
Further updates will be posted on this webpage.
Latest Update: 22/01/2021
EPA Update on Odour in Carrigtwohill 22 January 2021
EPA Update on Odour in Carrigtwohill 09 December 2020
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