Irish Cement fined EUR4000 for dust spill

Irish Cement has been fined EUR4000 for breaching terms of its industrial emissions licence, when thick “glue-like” dust spilled from its Co Limerick plant, resulting in damage to nearby homes, gardens and cars.

The company pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court to one count of breaching the terms of its licence at the Castlemungret works on 3 December 2017.

After the company had unsuccessfully attempted to clear a build-up of dust in the kiln, a significant amount of it leaked into the air and fell on local neighbourhoods. The Environmental Protection Agency received 21 complaints from local residents after the dust fell on their cars, homes, and gardens.