Greens urge emissions monitoring at Aughinish Alumina

GREEN PARTY leader Trevor Sargent yesterday called on owners of Aughinish Alumina to back Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to monitor emissions from the plant.

The Swiss-owned Askeaton, County Limerick-based company is objecting to several conditions in the revised Integrated Pollution Control License (IPCL) draft licence for the plant. The EPA wants the company to reduce nitrogen dioxide and alumina dust emissions.

The plant’s environmental co-ordinator Liam Fleming told the EPA that major capital would be needed to meet the conditions.

The EPA has also demanded Aughinish to monitor airborne dust at the site.

Aughinish is also objecting to a condition to hold annual meetings with the local community.In 1997 a proposed IPCL for the plant was altered after the company claimed some of the conditions could threaten the future of the factory.

“I am calling on the EPA to stand firm and uphold the conditions in the draft licence,” Mr Sargent said. Meanwhile, the EPA yesterday defended its €5.32 investigation into mysterious animal deaths in Askeaton which was published in 2001.

The five-year investigation ruled out any link between pollution and the animal deaths.

EPA director general Dr Mary Kelly was responding to criticism from geologist George Reynolds who believes the investigation should have looked for uranium in the Askeaton soil.

Dr Kelly said uranium, which can be toxic in large amounts, was not tested for because the soil there is made up primarily of limestone.