Cork villagers demand independent oversight of asbestos clean-up at demolished piggery

Residents near the former Grenagh piggery site want Cork County Council to ensure transparency and safety during asbestos clean-up

It is now illegal to place asbestos or asbestos-containing products on the market, though it is often present in buildings constructed before the millennium. File picture: Denis Minihane

Residents of a Cork village want an independent consultant funded by Cork County Council to oversee plans to clean up the site of a demolished piggery which contained asbestos.

Last week, members of a local residents group in Grenagh wrote to the council to highlight their concerns about the demolition on April 12 and 13.

Asbestos has been linked to the development of diseases such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. It is now illegal to place asbestos or asbestos-containing products on the market, though it is often present in buildings constructed before the millennium.

Immediately following the demolition, the concerns led to the cancellation of GAA games on a neighbouring pitch while the local playground was also empty in the immediate aftermath of the demolition.

The rubble currently remains onsite.

David Manning of the Grenagh residents sub-committee said locals are concerned, particularly as summer holidays will mean an increase in the presence of children at the playground.

In a letter to the council last week, the group said: “The children of this community now face years — perhaps even decades — before they will know whether these reckless actions have had serious, life-altering consequences.” 

The sub-committee is to hold a meeting with council representatives next week after outlining their requests in the correspondence.

They also asked that, given the concern and worry about further dispersal of asbestos dust from the site, “the community need to be given written information on planned dates, times, hours of work, extent of supervision of work by Cork County Council, HSE and HSA. We will also need to know who will be allowed on site during the clean-up and how this will be supervised and managed.” 

Silica dust exposure

Meanwhile, the Health and Safety Authority will begin a two-week national inspection campaign on Monday focusing on silica dust exposure in construction. The campaign aims to highlight the serious risks associated with exposure to silica dust, which can occur anywhere that concrete, stone, or sand-based materials are being used.

The HSA says that exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust at work can cause a progressive lung disease caused silicosis, as well as diseases including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other serious diseases.

During this campaign, inspectors will focus on activities known to generate silica dust, such as cutting, grinding, drilling, and demolition of materials like concrete, stone, and brick. 

They will assess whether appropriate control measures are in place, to eliminate exposure where possible, and then to reduce exposure.