Aughinish Alumina, one of the largest employers in Co Limerick, has rejected criticism by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it failed to report promptly an effluent spillage into the Shannon estuary.
An EPA spokeswoman said the company, which manufactures alumina, did not notify the EPA as quickly as it could have, in accordance with its integrated pollution control licence.
A spillage of dilute caustic aluminate occurred at 3 a.m. last Friday.
Mr Pat Lynch, of Aughinish Alumina, said a person connected with the company unofficially informed the EPA of the incident during the clean-up.
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It was not a significant environmental incident, but it was too early to quantify how much of the substance had leaked into the Shannon, he said.