Illegal dump investigation expected to take several months to complete

A FULL investigation into one of the largest illegal dumps uncovered in the country is expected to take several months to complete.

Wicklow Co Council has confirmed that an examination of the site at Dillonsdown in West Wicklow will take "a considerable period of time" in order to allow environmental experts to determine potential health risks.

Local residents fear reports of hospital and domestic waste being found at the dump could lead to contamination of public water supplies in the area.

The Dillonsdown site was discovered earlier this month as part of the local authority's on-going investigations into illegal dumping at a number of locations around Co Wicklow.

The council has recently used aircraft with thermal-imaging equipment to determine areas where land could have been disturbed for unlawful infilling. A full examination of the dump is now underway to assess the extent of the dumping.

Its discovery emerged after the council set up late-night roadblocks to track illegal operators. It followed information that rogue truck drivers were continuing to deliver waste products to unlicensed dumps near the N81 route in West Wicklow, despite the widespread publicity surrounding the discovery of several other illegal dumps in the county earlier this year.

It is believed the Dillonsdown site could contain in access of 300,000 tonnes of illegally-dumped material. It is estimated the cost of clearing the dump to safe levels could run as high as €20m, a charge which could be imposed on the culprits, if identified.

The dump is the second one found to be located on lands owned by Cement Roadstone Holdings. CRH has admitted that large quantities of commercial and domestic waste have also been found on a 500-acre site owned by the publicly-quoted company near Blessington, Co Wicklow. A company spokesperson said the illegally-dumped material had been placed there without its knowledge or permission.

In some instances, council officials have uncovered waste pits of up to 30 feet in depth. Earlier this year, further large quantities of illegally deposited waste were found on a site at Whitestown, near Baltinglass, Co Wicklow.

A spokesperson for Wicklow Co Council said anyone with any further knowledge of illegal dumping in the county should contact the local authority directly.

Anyone with information is also encouraged to contact the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations incident room at Naas Garda Station on 045-884303.