Multinational firms may ship waste to Holland in bid to cut disposal costs

MULTINATIONAL firms in a busy business hub are considering shipping commercial waste to Holland from January in a bid to cut disposal costs.

Waterford Chamber of Commerce is examining the feasibility of the plan, as businesses and industry in the city fear that their disposal costs will soar when their waste is banned from the landfill at Kilbarry from January 1, 2003.

Companies in the city and county will be forced to dispose of their waste outside of the south east from January. The transport and landfill costs will be significant and shipping non-recyclable waste out of the country for incineration might prove a more cost-effective option, the chamber believes.

The chamber, under the leadership of environment spokesperson Michael Cox is working on the plan with nine multinationals, including major employers like Bausch and Lobe, Hasbro, HP Chemie Pelzer and Kromberg and Schubert. At present, businesses are producing up to 55,000 tonnes of waste annually in the city. When recyclable and reusable materials are taken out, it is estimated that up to 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes might be exported each year. Waste which cannot be reused or recycled will have to disposed of outside of the county. The only question now is what is the most suitable and cost-efficient route for such waste - an operator in Ireland or abroad.

“The Port of Waterford, in association with AVR Safeway Ltd and Norfolkline, are investigating the feasibility of shipping this waste from Belview to an incineration plant in Holland. It makes economic sense for companies to prevent, minimise and recycle their waste, as waste disposal costs will continue to spiral over the coming years.

Director of planning and environment at Waterford Council, Michael Walsh, said closing the Kilbarry site to such waste will allow it to accept domestic and street cleaning refuse up until 2004. Meanwhile, plans for an incinerator are still up in the air.