Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
1197. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the consequences if industrial plants are found to be in breach of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. [16640/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for granting and enforcing licences for industrial plants. Whether or not an installation needs a licence depends on the activities being carried out on the site and the scale of those activities. These activities and thresholds are defined in legislation. Industrial licences are enforced by the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) of the EPA who conduct environmental inspections which cover all aspects of the environmental effects from the installations licensed by the Agency. Such operations are required to operate to Best Available Techniques (BAT) and are required to comply with BAT reference documents (BREFs) and BAT Conclusions which address certain aspects of the EU’s obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Where a breach of a licence condition occurs, it is a matter for the Agency to ensure that licensed facilities address any non-compliances and take the necessary corrective actions. Enforcement actions may be escalated up to and including legal proceedings if necessary. All monitoring and site inspection reports are published on the EPA website.
