Why issue licences to pollute as they please?

WHEN it comes to waste disposal policy it’s important to remember that, as a Government-appointed body, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accountable only to itself.

The EPA says that 30% of all applicants fail to adhere to the terms of their licence during routine operation. Why? Clearly surveillance is not effective. Long before a facility is operational it should be established whether the applicant has the technology and staff to meet the terms of the licence.

Should Indaver turn out to be one of the 30% which fail to adhere to their licence, what could it cost Irish taxpayers? It cost the Belgian economy €500m in lost revenue and clean-up following a dioxin release. Indaver say their insurance covers them up to €12.5m per incident but if the Belgian experience were to be repeated here, our bill would be a trifling €487.5m.