Anti-pollution group anger over caustic soda spillage

A WEST Limerick anti- pollution group has told the EPA it has no confidence in the agency to properly monitor the giant Aughinish Alumina plant which recently reported a spillage of around 50,000 litres of caustic soda.

Cappagh Farmers Support Group has told the EPA it is very concerned at that spillage.

Chairman Patrick Sheehy said: “Our group are very concerned in relation to the spillage of caustic on June 22 on the Aughinish Alumina site. It seems again that the EPA was not aware of this spillage.”

Mr Sheehy said they wanted to know what probe has been carried out by the EPA. He said it was disturbing to learn they will have to wait until the publication of the EPA’s annual report to know the extent of the June 22 incident.

He said people in the Askeaton area had no confidence in the EPA. After the June caustic soda spillage, Aughinish Alumina issued a statement and said the spillage was contained within a ‘bund’ which acted like a saucer around holding tanks. No caustic soda, said AAL, got into the main water course and the spilled substance was pumped back into a holding tank.

The firm said the spillage happened when the caustic soda was being transferred from a ship to storage tanks. A review of its unloading procedures was carried out after the event.

A spokesperson for the EPA last night said the recent spillage posed no threat to the environment as it was contained by the bund.

The spokesperson said Aughinish Alumina was not obliged to inform them of the spillage due to its nature and size. However, the EPA contacted them on learning of the spillage.