Locals seek funds to oppose Meath incinerator

A public meeting in Drogheda has called for the establishment of a £150,000 campaign fund to oppose an incinerator planned for the region.

On July 31st the Belgium company Indaver was granted planning permission for a waste incinerator at Carranstown, Co Meath, two miles from Drogheda.

We have been calling on a moratorium on incinerators for 3-5 years. We want the focus to be on re-usable products, like glass bottle instead of cartons. Reduction of packaging is a key to reducing waste. Mr Pat O’Brien

The £60 million plant will burn 150,000 tonnes of waste, approximately 35 per cent of the refuse produced by the north east.

It is planned to open in mid-2004 and is expected to have an operating life of 20 years. Construction will not begin until the plant is granted a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr Pat O'Brien, vice-chairman of the No Incineration Alliance, told ireland.comover 200 people attended the meeting last night called in response to the granting of planning permission.

He said based on the experiences of other groups, that up to £150,000 would be needed to make a professional appeal to an Bord Pleannála. He confirmed work has begun on the appeal.

People at the meeting expressed deep concern at the decision to grant planning permission to a plant that will emit dangerous substances like dioxins, he said.

He also criticised the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, for not considering alternatives to incineration.

"We have been calling on a moratorium on incinerators for 3-5 years. We want the focus to be on re-usable products, like glass bottle instead of cartons. Reduction of packaging is a key to reducing waste," Mr O’Brien said.

Mr John Ahern of Indaver Ireland agreed the main concern about the plant was about dixoins. If built, he said, the plant would produce one hundredth of one gramme of dixoins. This was 90 per cent lower than new European requirements established in 2000, he added.

He said incineration was only part of the solution for the North East’s waste.

The Carranstown plant is a 100 per cent private venture and Mr Ahern said no contracts with local authorities have been signed yet.

Indaver also proposes to build a hazardous waste management facility at Ringaskiddy, County Cork.

Meanwhile Minister Dempsey today launched a study to evaluate the impact on public health and the environment of incineration and landfills to be conducted by the Health Research Board.

He added research available to him suggested waste landfills and incinerators complying with environmental standards do not present a significant health risk.