The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that Tipperary Co-Op is responsible for a discharge into the river Arra on May 5th The EPA says the Co-Op notified the EPA on May 7th of an onsite incident which had led to Tipperary Co-Op discharging untreated effluent from the site to the River Arra. Inland Fisheries Ireland, Tipperary County Council and a member of the public also contacted the EPA to notify of this incident and the discharges occurring.
The EPA completed inspections and meetings at the Co-Op on three days last week and will publish site visit reports and monitoring reports on it’s online platform LEAP online in due course (www.leap.epa.ie).
Subject to further investigation, the EPA confirms that incompletely treated effluent from the factory was discharged to the River Arra. The scale and cause of the incident is subject to ongoing investigation and the EPA says it will continue to take enforcement actions as appropriate. Tipperary Co-Op is authorised to discharge to the River Arra however the material in this incident did not meet the standards set out in it’s licence. Inland Fisheries Ireland & Tipperary County Council have also visited the site. The EPA will be carrying out further investigations in relation to impact to fish and other organisms in the river and will continue to liaise with other Regulatory Bodies in relation to the discharge.
