Consultants to assess risk on site

THE Department of the Environment has appointed consultants to carry out an immediate risk assessment of the Irish Steel plant after it emerged that the amount of toxic waste there was higher than previously believed.

Consultants White Young Green will begin the assessment next week, and will analyse soil, slag, dust, surface and ground water samples for all likely contaminants, including heavy metals such as chromium.

The same consultants carried out a previous assessment of the site in 2005.