Sinn Féin bids to block incinerator plans

A formal appeal against plans for an incinerator in Co Meath has been lodged with the Environmental Protection Agency, it emerged today.

Sinn Féin Meath County Councillor Joe Reilly said his party opposed the granting of a Waste Licence to Indaver Ireland to operate an incinerator at Carronstown in Duleek, Co Meath.

Mr Reilly called for the entire incinerator process to be halted and claimed the Environmental Protection Agency had adopted a casual attitude to incineration, which was dangerous and unacceptable.

“Our appeal cites 18 individual objections to the proposed incinerator on a range of issues relating to incineration itself, monitoring, disposal, independent verification and the need to notify residents in the event of system failure,” he said.

“But central to all of these is the extremely casual approach of the EPA to the licensing of incineration processes.

“Approximately 5% of waste accepted at the incinerator will emerge as hazardous waste but no specific conditions are placed on its transport; on the specific destination of the waste and how such waste may be treated at its destination.”

Mr O’Reilly claimed current regulations provided any amount of room for unscrupulous operators to abuse the licensing regime.

“It again demonstrates the inability of the Agency to even construct appropriate licensing conditions in such a manner as to give maximum protection to residents and to our environment,” he said.

“The hazardous material emerging from the incinerator is among the most toxic known to humankind, yet it is treated in this condition as equivalent to a sack of household refuse. How can this be? Why is the Agency taking such a casual approach to the incineration industry? This entire incineration process must be halted, at least until such appropriate body is put in place as to adequately oversee the licensing regime.

“Sinn Féin believes that there is no justification for incineration. It produces toxins which are detrimental to the health of communities in which the incinerators are situated. Incineration flies in the face of any real environmental waste management strategy and has the effect of locking us into disposal as the prime approach to waste management.”

The party’s appeal to the EPA was co-signed by Councillor Reilly, Arthur Morgan TD and Drogheda Councillors Imelda Munster, Matthew Coogan, Dom Wilton and Meath Councillor Michael Gallagher.