North Cork Creameries has suspended wastewater treatment plant discharge from its site in Kanturk following a direction to do so from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

According to the agency "exceedances were detected in effluent discharges from North Cork Creameries" earlier this month.

The EPA said that North Cork Creameries "ceased discharging from emission point SW1" into the River Allow on the evening of November, 11.

The co-op also "began undertaking corrective action" on the same date.

EPA

Subsequently the EPA carried out a site visit to North Cork Creameries on November 14 "to assess progress on the corrective actions".

However the EPA was "not satisfied that compliance was satisfactorily restored and deemed that the discharges should not be resumed".

According to the agency it issued a notice to North Cork Creameries, "directing them to suspend discharges from SW1".

The notice directed the co-op to "without delay take the necessary measures to ensure that compliance with the conditions of the licence is restored in the shortest possible time and to the satisfaction of the agency".

North Cork Creameries is also required to "furnish confirmation in writing to the agency that compliance with the licence has been restored, and the agency shall then give notice in writing to the licensee where it is satisfied to accept that confirmation, prior to any recommencement of the discharge".

North Cork Creameries is not currently discharging wastewater at SW1.

However the EPA has stated that it is awaiting a response from North Cork Creameries "in relation to compliance at SW1".

According to the agency the co-op "will not be permitted to resume discharging effluent" until it is satisfied that it has made changes to bring their activities into "compliance with their licence".

North Cork Creameries

North Cork Creameries told Agriland that it is "co-operating fully with the EPA to ensure compliance with our licenced wastewater treatment requirements".

"We will resume processing at the earliest time with the approval of the EPA," it stated.