Minister for the Environment John Gormley has appointed consultants to carry out an independent assessment of the former Irish Steel site at Haulbowline, Co Cork, after claims that larger than expected quantities of hazardous material have been found there.
Mr Gormley yesterday assured residents of Cork Harbour that the site on Haulbowline island is safe after a contract with subcontractors employed to clear the site was terminated.
In a statement today, Mr Gormley said he was committed to dealing with the “legacy issue” of waste at the Haulbowline site.
Industrial waste from the abandoned Ispat steel plant lies exposed at Haulbowline with Cobh in the background
He wished to reassure local residents that the Department and other relevant local agencies were properly managing the situation at the former Irish Ispat site “in a manner consistent with best practice and minimisation of risk to human health and the environment”.
The Minister said he has today engaged consultants White Young Green to carry out an “independent and rigorous assessment of site conditions following extensive unauthorised works by sub-contractors of Hammond Lane Metal Company Ltd”.
“This assessment, which will begin next week, will involve analysis of soil, slag, dust, surface and ground water samples for all likely contaminants including heavy metals such as chromium.”
Mr Gormley said the same consultants carried out an “extensive” site investigation in 2005 which indicated no evidence of any immediate threat to human health or the environment.
He said they were best suited to determine the best way forward in securing the site from an environmental and health and safety point of view should they find any immediate threat as a result of the unauthorised work of the sub-contractors.