Revealed: Toxic waste found in 100 mines

AT least 100 old mines have been identified with varying levels of contamination and in need of remediation similar to the Haulbowline toxic site in Cork harbour.

Following pressure from opposition politicians, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to publish the list of sites, which “are classed from minor to significant”.

The agency said none are as dangerous as the former Irish Steel site, exposed in the Irish Examiner last month, which had 500,000 tonnes of toxic waste.

The company carrying out a study on Haulbowline and Department of the Environment officials met public representatives last night to brief them on the issue.

The agency also said risk-assessments are taking place on about 100 old, unused mine sites and a report on what remediation they require will be published before the end of this year.

The studies will only examine environmental threats and will not look at if there are any cancer risks to those living close to the mines.

The Oireachtas committee on the environment asked the agency to provide a list of the “legacy sites” as well as an action plan and the cost of any such action.

Addressing the committee yesterday, Dara Lynott of the Office of Environmental Enforcement in the EPA said: “We have 100 sites of the 700 sites that are licensed by the EPA that we are monitoring and have varying degrees of information that would suggest anything from minor through to significant contamination. They are sites that are actively being dealt with, studies are taking place and remediation plans are being assessed.”

Mr Lynott gave assurances “there are no other sites equivalent to Haulbowline”. He said: “You have to remember this was the only steel plant in the country. It was a plant that operated for 40 to 50 years under state control. It is a plant that only lately came in for regularisation...

“We have regulated close on 700 facilities and you will find varying levels of contamination at those sites from minor spills through to some more significant contamination issues. We have a register of all those sites, we have around 100 sites there that would be classified as minor up to significant, mostly in the minor areas.”

Labour’s Ciarán Lynch, said the EPA should clarify its role in relation to the Haulbowline site.