An Irish pharmaceutical giant facing criminal charges relating to the export of waste to continental Europe has had its case adjourned pending a High Court judicial review.
AHP Manufacturing BV, trading as Wyeth Medica Ireland, has been charged with 18 offences arising out of the export of the waste product of medroxyprogesterone acetate, a contraceptive drug.
The case came to light in May 2002 when pig farmers in Holland noticed that their sows were infertile. The source of the infertility was traced back to waste water from Wyeth's Newbridge plant which was exported, recycled and then processed into treacle to be fed to pigs.
Among the charges Wyeth is facing under the Waste Management Act, 1996, and the Waste Management (Trans-Frontiers Shipment Regulations), 1998, is that it illegally shipped the material out of Ireland without a certificate or without informing the relevant authorities, and that it mixed hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste.
It is also facing charges that Cara Environmental Technology Ltd, which processed the waste on behalf of Wyeth, was not recognised by the Environmental Protection Agency as a waste contractor.
Cara Environmental Technology Ltd is also facing 13 charges relating to the same issue.
Wyeth is currently seeking a High Court judicial review against the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State in relation to four of the charges.
Wyeth says there is no provision in the EPA Act that allows the agency to stipulate the identity of a waste contractor.
At Naas Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, State Solicitor Geraldine Gillece was granted an adjournment by Judge Michael O'Shea until the start of the next legal term because of the judicial review.
Ms Gillece said disclosure had led to 80 volumes of documents that were not included in the book of evidence.
Judge O'Shea said the case could merit a special date once the outcome of the judicial review is known.
Wyeth Medica Ireland employs 1,400 workers at its Newbridge plant and 2,600 people nationwide.
