A COURT has ordered a Limerick recycling firm to pay a €10,000 donation to help Ukraine refugees after it admitted breaching waste management legislation by not having fire safety equipment to deal with a major fire at their premises last year.
In a statement issued earlier today, Limerick City and County Council welcomed the verdict by Limerick District Court to order United Metal Recycling (Ireland) Limited to pay the charitable contribution to the Red Cross Ukranian Appeal in lieu of a criminal conviction.
The case against United Metal Recycling, which was brought by the local authority, came before the court last Friday.
The firm has been operating a licensed waste facility at Eastway Business Park, Ballysimon Road, Limerick since October 2010.
A fire at the facility in the early hours of August 4, 2021, was the second fire there in three years, with another fire occurring in August 2018.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of their waste facility permit contrary to Section 39 of the Waste Management Act 1996.
“The breaches were in relation to operating outside the hours specified in their permit and for not having adequate fire extinguishers and emergency response equipment maintained on-site,” the council statement explained.
“The company did not receive a conviction but were ordered to pay Limerick City and County Council’s costs of €1,429.15 and a €10,000 charitable contribution to the Red Cross Ukrainian Appeal.”
The court heard the maximum fine for breaching the legislation before a District Court is €5,000.
The council statement added: “We welcome the decision of the court. By bringing this case, it shows Limerick City and County Council’s commitment to investigate all incidents that occur and to bring those to court if the evidence allows.”
