Indaver hearing: Explosion ‘could not happen here’

The company proposing to build a waste-to-energy plant in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, has dismissed claims that incinerators account for 70% of all dioxins or that an explosion which recently rocked one of its Belgian sites could happen here.

Dr Fergal Callaghan, chemical engineer, told an oral hearing that, “contrary to myth”, incinerators are not responsible for 70% of all dioxins. In fact, based on Environmental Protection Agency projections, uncontrolled combustion processes such as forest fires, burning of agricultural residue, and uncontrolled domestic waste burning accounted for 84% of total emissions, he said.

Dr Callaghan was speaking as an expert witness for Indaver Ireland on day two of An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing into proposals by the waste management company to build a €160m incinerator in Ringaskiddy.