Councillor Gael Gildernew has welcomed confirmation from the NI Environment Agency (NIEA) that a leak which emanated from industrial premises at Granville Ecopark on May 8 was indeed a gas leak – albeit not dangerous in nature.
The Sinn Féin representative for Clogher Valley had tabled a motion at the May 28 monthly meeting of Mid Ulster District Council following the incident, part of which read as follows: “This Council note with concern the significant gas leak from industrial premises at Granville Ecopark on Friday, May 8, 2026, impacting as far away as the village of Eglish.
“Council agrees to write formally to the DAERA Minister and to NIEA Chief Executive, outlining these concerns and seeking an urgent update regarding this incident.
“Council further agrees to write to NIEA Chief Executive to request an urgent meeting to discuss this recent gas leak, sanctions and preventative measures to ensure this does not continue to affect the community in Granville, [and] to update Council on progress with addressing issues relating to the ongoing issue in Granville.”
DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir had relayed a claim in the Assembly on June 15, to the effect that the substance which had leaked was not a gas.
He told Assembly members at the time: “The gas network company has confirmed that it was not a gas leak, and Granville Ecopark Ltd has confirmed that it was a leak of the odorant used in the gas-to-grid process.”
However, in correspondence to Mid Ulster District Council dated June 24, NIEA Chief Executive, Richard Crowe confirmed that the odorant chemical which leaked from the site is mercaptans, which is a gas (source: BBC).
He wrote: “I can reassure you that this event was not a leak of biogas or biomethane produced at the site, but of the odorant chemical (mercaptans) used to odorise gas before injection into the grid.
“Mercaptans gives off a pungent rotten egg smell, to help with detecting leaks in the gas network. This has been confirmed by both Granville Ecopark Ltd and the gas network operator, Evolve, who attended the site on the day.
“NIEA issued an Enforcement Notice to Granville Ecopark Ltd on May 28, 2026, regarding this fugitive emission of odorant. There is also an ongoing investigation underway.
“My officers are in the process of setting up a multi-Agency meeting, at the request of Mr Colm Gildernew MLA, to discuss issues arising at the Granville Industrial Estate, particularly in relation to odours reported by the residents, and will be inviting all interested parties.
“Granville Ecopark Ltd are also undertaking a number of improvements at the site to improve odour control, and these should all be in place by the end of 2026.
“My regulatory officers are monitoring progress. There has been an ongoing reduction in odour complaints over the last five years, and NIEA continues to regulate the authorised sites in the estate to ensure they are complying with the conditions of their licence/permit.”
The letter goes on to explain that the Industrial Pollution and Radiochemical Inspectorate (IPRI) has seen a sharp drop in the number of odour complaints it has received, with that number falling from 74 in 2025/26 to just three (to date) in 2026/27.
Referring to the correspondence from NIEA, Councillor Gildernew said at the July 23 monthly meeting of Mid Ulster District Council: “[Concerning] the recent gas leak in Granville Ecopark, Colm Gildernew MLA has challenged this explanation, where they say it wasn’t a gas leak.
“That was a gas leak and they have confirmed that. He raised it in the Assembly and Mr Muir confirmed that the Health & Safety Executive had been informed of this serious issue.
“An NIEA investigation was initiated after we spoke to him on the day of the gas leak.
“But just to highlight that that was a gas leak. It may not have been a dangerous gas, but it was a gas leak. I suppose our concerns are: what if next time it is a dangerous gas and not just an odorant?”
