OEE AIE 2023 39

Sites are placed on the EPA National Priority List if they fail to adhere to their licence conditions and, as a consequence, are posing a risk to the environment. The NPS contains facilities with the poorest compliance and environmental performance records so far this year.

Key Issues
• Inadequate operation of waste water treatment plants
• Inadequate control over surface water discharges
• Breaches of Emission Limit Value

Sample National Priority Site Licence Number / Organisations
P1051 North Cork Creameries
W0291 Forge Hill Recycling Unlimited Company
P0812 Arrow Group Limited
P0801 Tipperary Co-operative Creamery Limited
W0211 ERAS ECO Limited
P0986 Timoleague Agri Gen Limited

Impact on Water Quality
40 EPA licensed sites are significant pressures on water quality – i.e. risk of failing to meet Water Framework Directive water quality standards
11 are in the food and drink sector
5 of these are in Origin Green
3 more pending membership approval

Some sites have prosecutions pending yet still remain in Origin Green

Engagement with Bord Bia
EPA met with Bord Bia in 2022 and 2023 and changes have been made to the scheme criteria
• Sites that don’t notify BB of their inclusion on the NPS face suspension from the scheme
• Sites wont be entitled to Gold Membership if they have been prosecuted in the previous year
• Non-compliance with licence does result in some points reduction
• Agreed that EPA would engage with BB and their verifiers in the future

Further work needed as EPA concerned that sites in the scheme can be an EPA enforcement priority and have significant compliance issues

AIE Request, 10/10/2023

Under the AIE Regs to request details of meetings between EPA and Bord Bia on the subject of “Origin Green” to cover

Dates of meetings

Attendees

Agendas / Minutes

Copies of any presentations / reports provided as part of the meetings

For the purposes of this AIE please include meetings in the Years 2022-23