Green light for toxic waste incinerator

THE country’s first toxic waste incinerator has moved a step closer to reality after planners said they had no objection to the €80m development.

Local residents last night vowed to fight the controversial decision in the European Court, however, Cork County Council officials believe there is no environmental impediment against Indaver building the incinerator at Ringaskiddy. The plant will burn 100,000 tonnes of toxic waste each year. In a report, planners said they had taken into account a study carried out by the Health Research Board.

This study concluded that modern incinerators, properly operated and controlled, met environmental standards set down by an EU directive.

County manager Maurice Moloney said the council will seek a material contravention of the County Development Plan. If this is passed it will pave the way for planning permission to be granted.

The public will be given a month to make observations and councillors will vote on the contravention in May. Indaver recently got the green light from Bord Pleanála for a €80m domestic waste incinerator at Carranstown, County Meath.

A large number of county councillors are opposed to the Ringaskiddy plan.

Deputy Batt O’Keeffe said several local pharmaceutical plants already had their own toxic waste incinerators and were planning more.

“There won’t be a need for a big one. We’ll end up bringing hazardous waste from the outside. It’s unfair to Ringaskiddy residents,” Deputy O’Keeffe said.

Mayor Paula Desmond said she was also opposed: “I’m not in favour of incineration and I don’t accept that we need a development of this magnitude in Cork.”

Even if county councillors vote against the move, Indaver will take the case to Bord Pleanála. Residents are concerned that, if that happens, the board will side with the company because of the recommendations of council planners and the Health Research Board (HRB).

“Local democracy shouldn’t be ignored. If it is, we’ll go all the way to Europe. We will prepare a major fund from people living in a 35-mile radius of the site to fight this legally,” Ringaskiddy Residents’ Association chairman Braham Brennan said.

Indaver managing director John Ahern said he thought local people should be reassured by the HRB report: “I don’t think council officials have taken this decision lightly. We will apply to the Environmental Protection Agency for a licence in the next two weeks.”