A Korean company which manufactures video tapes in Co Sligo has been fined €4,000 for breaches of its pollution control licence. Saehan Media pleaded guilty to seven breaches of its licence.
Most of the offences related to waste water emissions into the Garavogue River; in one case the level of suspended solids in the water was four times that allowed by the company's licence.
An Inspector from the Environmental Protection Agency, which prosecuted the company, said the waste could damage water and fish life in the river.
The company also pleaded guilty to storing hazardous waste outside of the required safe or "bunded" area in which they should have been kept. EPA Inspector Leo Sweeney said some of the barrels were in a very bad condition and could have leaked.
Saehan Media admitted that it was having problems keeping within its licence restrictions since 1999 and had been battling with the issue. Operations Manager Brendan Gallagher said the company was gravely concerned about it - there were inconsistencies in the emissions, he said, but these were now gone. The company had employed new environmental consultants and introduced new procedures and signs.
The EPA agreed that the company had made considerable strides but Mr Sweeney said the situation was not yet entirely satisfactory.
Sligo Court was told that Saehan was producing 400 metres of video tape a minute when its licence was granted in 1996. Now it is manufacturing 560 metres a minute in its Sligo plant - the only factory of its kind in Ireland or the UK.
Judge David Anderson questioned the company about the water it took in from the Garavogue. He asked if the company ever considered that they were purifying the Garavogue and so performing a public service. Mr Gallagher replied that they were doing that: the water goes back out in a much better condition than it comes in, he said.
Nonetheless the Judge said the company was in breach of its licence and imposed a €500 fine for each of six emissions offences and a €1,000 fine for incorrect storage of hazardous waste.
