Huge state bill for ‘smuggled’ rubbish

THE Government is going to have to pay the lion’s share of a €200 million bill to repatriate almost 800,000 tonnes of waste originating from the south, but dumped in the north.

The illegally deposited material, a mixture of commercial and domestic waste, has been discovered in 78 sites, mainly in the border areas but to an extent in every county.

The average size of the dumps is 10,000 tonnes and it is estimated it will cost between €200 — €250 a tonne to remove.