News

EPA proposes to grant waste licences

Wednesday, 27 October 2004

The Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that it is proposing to grant two waste licences, which will clear the way for the construction of incinerators at Ringaskiddy in Co Cork and at Carranstown, near Duleek, in Co Meath.

The public has 28 days to lodge objections to the decision, after which time the agency will decide whether to grant a final licence or hold an oral hearing into the concerns raised.

The plant at Ringaskiddy will be the country's first hazardous waste incinerator and handle around 100,000 tons of commercial and domestic waste.

The facility at Carranstown is scheduled to deal with around 150,000 tons of non-hazardous material. Both are expected to operate from 2007.

The firm which will operate both plants, Indaver Ireland, says it is currently assessing the draft licences and believes the conditions are workable but will not make a final comment until the matter has been considered in more detail.

The anti-incineration group in Cork, CHASE, said the EPA decision was not a surprise given that the agency's Director General, Dr Mary Kelly, was formerly with IBEC while another Director, Laura Burke, previously worked at Indaver.

Given the controversial nature of both projects, the EPA has sought to reassure the public by stressing that both facilities, if allowed to proceed, would operate under 'stringent controls' which 'meet or exceed' the highest EU standards.

In a separate move, the CHASE group is going to the High Court today to challenge a decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the Ringaskiddy plant.

The Green TD from Cork, Dan Boyle, claimed the announcement of the EPA's decision on the day of the High Court action was 'politically motivated'.