Hundreds of plastic butter containers, washed up on a beach in east Cork, may be from one of seven containers lost off a ship in stormy seas last month.
Local residents say a stretch of coastline from Shanagarry to Ballycotton is littered with hundreds of empty Kerrygold and Sainsbury-brand Butterlicious containers.
One local woman said walking the beach is like walking through a landfill.
Cork County Council says it is investigating the reports.
It is known that one of the seven containers washed overboard from the coaster BG Dublin - en route to Cork - did contain packaging destined for the Irish market.
Another contained sodium bromate - a hazardous material used in dyeing. But initial concerns it might lead to a pollution incident abated as it is soluble in water.
