Three tests failed to detect waste problem

THE company responsible for pumping waste material into Cork harbour failed to detect the problem despite carrying out three separate tests, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency.

During the construction of the Nanomilling facility at the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plant, the mislabelling of pipes was recorded between November 2003 and May 2004. However, only one of the faults was corrected, it emerged yesterday.

The failure to correct the second fault resulted in the pumping of waste - meant for incineration - from the plant’s Nanomilling facility to GSK’s waste water treatment plant, which in turn discharged into Cork harbour.