Software fault caused chemical plant leak

A SOFTWARE glitch at a giant chemical plant caused the accidental release of potentially hazardous vapours for seven hours last month.

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) probe has found that the accidental emission of 42kg of organic solvent vapours from an emission point at the Eli Lilly plant near Kinsale in Co Cork on Friday, March 1, was caused by a software problem in its abatement system. The interruption lasted for a total of seven hours.

However, EPA officials said their investigations have established that there was no impact on the environment or on human health.