Mitsui Denman Ireland has agreed the sale of its site at Little Island, Co Cork, to a company involved in hazardous waste disposal, sparking concerns among environmental groups.
Earlier this year, Japanese chemical firm Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co Ltd announced the closure of its plant in the heavily industrial area of Little Island, near Cobh.
The site is to be bought by an Irish hazardous waste disposal company, South Coast Transport Ltd, operating in conjunction with AVR Chemie, a Dutch waste management firm.
The Little Island site consists of 100 acres, 60 acres of which are constructed lagoons formerly used by Mitsui Denman for processing manganese sediment.
South Coast said it intends to fill the lagoons with construction and demolition rubble, with a view to eventually reclaiming the land for commercial use.
In a statement yesterday, the company said the site would not be a landfill and the lagoons would not be used for domestic, commercial or hazardous waste.
"The lagoons will only accept treated construction and demolition waste. What we will be doing is a recovery of the lagoons, to restore the ground for use as prime commercial land in about eight year's time," said company spokesman Mr Garry Bogue.
Only inert waste will be put in the lagoons, he said - the company had "no plans" to use the site for processing hazardous waste.
"We already have a site in Fermoy for the transfer of hazardous waste - it is not our intention to use this site in that way."
Mr Bogue added that, following the announced closure of the demolition waste transfer plant at Kinsale Road, Cork, there was a great need for an outlet for construction and demolition waste in the area.
South Coast has not yet applied for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) licence or for planning permission for the plant. However, Mr Bogue said both the EPA and Cork County Council had "been pleased" by the company's proposals.
A Cork environmental group has said waste management companies have a record of not fulfilling their EPA licence obligations.
"It is very important to be vigilant where waste management companies are concerned," said Ms Mary O'Leary, chairwoman of Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (CHASE).
Construction rubble should be ground back down to be used as "backfill" in the construction industry, Ms O'Leary said. "That's the environmental, enlightened way to go, rather than creating another landfill."
It was important for the public to examine South Coast's EPA licence and planning permission now, said Ms O'Leary. She added that it was better to do this than assume the competency of the planning bodies.
"The lagoons held manganese waste. There would be a concern that this could leech out through the soil."
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