In 2000, a number of animal deaths took place on land owned by farmers adjacent to and around the tailings pond. This activated an inter-agency group, including the Departments of Agriculture and Food and Marine and Natural Resources, Teagasc, North Tipperary County Council, the Environmental Protection Agency and the local community, which produced a very valuable report on the future of the tailings pond and identifying four other toxic sites in the area, some of which were quite old. One of the sites identified, which is important in terms of the precedent established, is across the road from the local primary school in Silvermines village. It was discovered that a field contained very high levels of toxic waste material, going back a considerable period. The Department of Education and Science moved immediately to cover over the field because it was being used as a play area by children from the primary school.