25% of hazardous waste is dumped illegally, say An Taisce

ONE in every four tonnes of hazardous waste is dumped in up to 300 illegal dumps nationwide, An Taisce said yesterday.

The environmental agency said illegal dumping was continuing unabated on a massive scale, because local authorities were failing to address the issue.

Kildare, for example, has as much illegal dumping as neighbouring Wicklow.

“We are seeing time and time again that local authorities are not competent to deal with waste and dramatic action is needed,” said An Taisce’s Ian Lumley. He also criticised the Government for failing to establish an independent environmental enforcement agency to audit the progress of the local authorities, promised as part the Programme for Government last June.

“There are a number of sites in Kildare that we have received information about from residents and we have complained to the council about a number of sites. They have acknowledged our letters but there has never been a satisfactory investigation,” he said Two of the Kildare dumps in question, at Kerdisstown near Naas and Mullally’s Sandpit near the Curragh are each estimated to contain an estimated 300,000 tonnes of waste. Both dumps were the focus of a Prime Time investigation last week.

However, Kildare County Secretary Charlie Talbot rejected any suggestion that the council did not investigate reports of illegal dumping.

“We reject any suggestion that we don’t investigate dump sites. We do investigate any complaints that come into us and we take action where appropriate,” he said.

Mr Talbot said that, apart from the dumps mentioned by Prime Time, the council was currently investigating a number of small sites and one substantial site. All told last year, council officials investigated 16 sites, one of which was found to contain toxic material, he said.

However Mr Lumley said An Taisce was currently in the process of cross-referencing reports of illegal dumps in Kildare with sites being investigated by the council and believed there was a worse problem in Kildare than council officials were admitting.

“All the information we have is that there are substantial unauthorised dumps in Kildare ,” Mr Lumley said adding that there were serious health, environmental and public safety issues at stake.

A spokesman for Environment Minister Martin Cullen said that detailed proposals in relation to the proposed environmental enforcement agency were currently being worked on and a final plan would be finalised as soon as possible.

No fixed date for final implementation of the agency was available.