Drugs firm fined over pollution
A multinational pharmaceutical company was today fined over €100,000 on pollution charges.
The German-based Schwarz Pharma Limited pleaded guilty to 11 separate breaches of its Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence in Ennis Circuit Court, Co Clare.
The court was told that air emissions from the Shannon plant in August 2004 were up to 35 times the limits set out in the licence, while some of these emissions contained suspected carcinogens.
Judge Carroll Moran imposed fines totalling €110,000, while the Environmental Protection Agency’s costs of €42,000 were also awarded.
The company was also charged with allowing emissions to the atmosphere through an unauthorised vent, which was not allowed by its IPC licence.
These emissions contained organic solvents which have the potential to have adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
The company was also found guilty of failing to notify the EPA of these emissions.
Schwarz Pharma Limited also pleaded guilty to a further four charges in relation to poor on-site environmental management practices which had the potential to cause pollution.
The prosecution was taken following EPA air monitoring and an audit by EPA inspectors in August 2004.
It was originally taken by the EPA in Shannon District Court on March 10, 2005 but due to the seriousness of the offences was refused jurisdiction and was then referred to the DPP for prosecution on indictment.
Dara Lynott, Director of EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, welcomed the court’s decision.
The EPA was successful in taking a previous prosecution against the company in November 2003 following a comprehensive investigation into odour nuisance in the Shannon area.
