US custom compounder RTP (Winona, Minnesota; www.rtpcompany.com) is facing strong opposition in Ireland over plans to build a compounding plant at Poundlick, Skibbereen. Cork's county council gave its initial approval to the project in December 2017, but local protest group Save Our Skibbereen (SOS; www.saveourskibbereen.ie) appealed that decision to An Bord Pleanala, an independent, quasi-judicial body.

Commenting on RTP’s proposed plant, SOS said, “We believe it will impact terribly on our air, our water, our environment and on our future. We believe that it is going to harm existing jobs and deter future businesses and tourists from considering Skibbereen as their preferred destination.” But, on 3 December and flouting the recommendation of its own inspectors, An Bord Pleanala rejected SOS’s appeal and ruled in favour of RTP’s plans.

Backing its ruling, the appeal body said there were 19 conditions attached to the decision, including the installation of “appropriate water pollution protection infrastructure” to protect the Ilen river and nearby Roaringwater Bay, a special area of conservation, from plastics pollution. Local councillors too said the plant could provide up to 40 new jobs for the area.

Danny Miller, head of RTP’s European operations, welcomed the decision, thanking An Bord Pleanala for “taking the time to provide such a thorough review.” However, SOS now wants to appeal to Ireland’s High Court. The group is holding an “emergency public meeting” on 13 December to outline its campaign strategy to get the decision overturned.

SOS also said it was concerned about safety, citing a fire that occurred at an RTP plant in Beaune / France, on 27 October 2018. No one was injured in the fire, which RTP officials said took place in a warehouse and not in a production area.

In addition to France, RTP has a plant in Germany and one in Poland that opened earlier this year – see Plasteurope.com of 19.02.2018.