€7m spent removing illegal waste dumped in North

The State has spent almost €7m removing waste illegally dumped in the North and bringing it back to be disposed of in the Republic — and only about a third of the job has been completed.

An estimated 250,000 tonnes of waste was illegally transported over the border and dumped at 17 unlicensed landfill sites in the North from 2002 to 2004.

Since repatriation of the waste began in 2010, the Department of Environment said around 80,000 tonnes have been removed and sent to licensed landfill sites in Donegal, Louth and Monaghan at a cost of €6.8m.