A file on the contamination of pig feed in Europe with Irish waste contaminated with human hormones, which caused one of the biggest food scares in Europe in recent years, has been referred to gardaí for criminal investigation.
In recent weeks the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation has received a detailed file from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the case, following the biggest inquiry ever undertaken by the agency into a single pollution incident.
The Garda investigation will have a narrow focus in terms of gathering evidence on specific aspects of the case, including witness statements and other information that may be needed should the Director of Public Prosecutions decide to take a criminal prosecution in the case.
In July 2002 sugar water contaminated with the human growth hormone MPA found its way into pig feed in Belgium and Holland, resulting in the culling of 55,000 animals.
The contamination was discovered after some pigs became sterile, and it resulted in the slaughter of some 55,000 animals, while half of the 7,000 pig farmers in Holland were forced to close their businesses temporarily.
An investigation established that the feed had been contaminated with sugar water containing traces of MPA, which had been used in the coating of contraceptive pills at Wyeth Medica Ireland (WMI).
A report by the Environmental Protection Agency found this had been released for disposal to Cara Environmental Technology.
The waste had incorrectly been classified as non-hazardous for recycling.
It was then sent to a waste processing firm, Bioland, in Belgium. That firm shut down almost immediately after the incident, and much of the subsequent inquiry has focused on the procedures at the plant that allowed the contaminated water to be processed into animal food ingredients.
Both Cara and Wyeth Medica Ireland have denied any wrongdoing in the controversy.
However, both companies are already being sued by farming and food industry interests in Holland, arising out of the contamination.
Schuurmans & Van Ginneken (SVG), a Netherlands molasses and liquid manufacturer and supplier, has lodged a €115 million claim against both firms.
According to documents filed by Wyeth with the Security and Exchanges Commission in the US, SVG "seeks damages in excess of €115 million for its own alleged direct losses related to the clean-up of systems and destruction of MPA-contaminated molasses, and alleged losses made against it by various third parties".
Wyeth has also received a letter of claim from various organisations representing Dutch farming interests for unspecified losses.
The firm "intends to continue to defend all of the foregoing litigation vigorously", according to the SEC documentation filed last year.