The pharmaceutical giant Wyeth has pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts regarding the illegal export of waste from Ireland to Europe.
50,000 pigs had to be destroyed in Holland, after waste water from the production of contraceptive pills at Wyeth's Newbridge plant ended up in Dutch animal feed. Today, Wyeth pleaded guilty before Judge Patricia Ryan to four of 18 charges.
These related to the illegal trans-frontier shipment of waste; illegal mixing of waste; and two breaches of the company's EPA waste licence requiring approval for contractors.
Wyeth Medica Ireland operates the firm's plant in Newbridge in Kildare. Pfizer, which acquired Wyeth last year, said it had been seeking to resolve the case. But it said it could not comment any further until sentence had been passed. Sentencing is due next month.
The case originated in 2002 when some Dutch pig farmers noticed their sows were infertile. Many farms were subsequently shut down, after infertile pigs on one farm were found to have been fed a syrup containing the hormone MPA, which is used as a human contraceptive.
Investigations established that Wyeth Medica produced hormone-laced waste water in the process of sugar-coating its pills, and this was turned over to Dublin-based Cara Environmental Technology for disposal.
Cara sold the sugar water on to a Belgian company Bioland, which passed it on as treacle to Dutch feed companies.
The Dutch Feed Industry organisation claimed in 2003 that the disaster was 'one of the worst in memory' and cost the industry 'at least €100m'.
Cara Environmental Technology, which processed the waste for Wyeth, is due before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court next week over the same issues. It is not admitting liability to charges.
