Health fears puts pressure on incinerator go-ahead

PRESSURE was mounting on the Government last night to stop the State’s first toxic waste incinerator being built after two new studies found an increased incidence of stillbirths, deaths and heart disease in the vicinity of incinerators.

The Irish Doctors Environmental Association are furious with An Bord Pleanála for giving the go-ahead to the €95 million toxic waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, against the advice of their own senior planner. They want Environment Minister Martin Cullen to change the guidelines covering legal smoke emissions from incinerators, claiming current regulations do not provide protection against serious health risks.

"Two recent medical journal reports have revealed that the level of legal emissions from incinerators here are too high and could lead to death from heart disease, stillbirths and post-natal deaths," said Irish Doctors Environmental Association spokeswoman Dr Elizabeth Cullen.