IS there a refuse crisis on the Beara peninsula? An Taisce in west Cork says there is. Cork County Council begs to differ.
Last weekend, a public meeting in Castletownbere sought to address the issue in a positive, non confrontational way. The people want action before the tourist season begins. It remains to be seen what will happen, but on the evidence provided by An Taisce, there are disturbing indications.
The peninsula is not for hurrying through the roads see to that.
It's a place for walkers, hikers, bikers and drivers who like to take their time and enjoy the scenery. It seems a shame, then, that the local authority and an environmental watchdog like An Taisce should be at odds as to the nature and extent of the problem.
Independent analysis carried out by An Taisce leads to disquieting conclusions about the health of the River Agahista. As one of the focal points of Castletownbere, it fails, for a number of reasons, to invite the visitor to stay for a longer period than is necessary. The river is dirty, polluted and apparently uncared for. It does not support fish life on its lower reaches, and it is certainly no great credit to an urea that would make tourism one of its main assets.
According to Mr Jack McCarthy, an engineer with Cork County Council, no hard evidence has been presented to his office to show that there is a problem with the river. He also confirms that the council has not tested or analysed the water quality in the Agahista. One of his arguments appears to be that the river is tidal and therefore self flushing.
But An Taisce in west Cork has carried out an analysis and it presents an entirely different picture.
Detailed results of this exercise have been shown to The Irish Times. The tests were carried out at a laboratory in Cork and show that as well as high counts of the bacterium E coli, the waters of the Agahista contain unacceptable levels of ammonium, chlorides, nitrates and iron at a point about a quarter of a mile from the municipal dump.
Dumps are not pretty places, and the Castletownbere dump is no exception. Luckily, it is hidden away, at Clontreem, outside the town. It smells, oozes slime, and its contents are scattered about by the wind. If An Taisce's analysis is correct - and there is no reason to doubt it - the dump is the direct source of pollution in the River Agahista. To say that it needs attention is an understatement.
So what should be done? Mr McCarthy was unavailable to attend the public meeting last weekend, but says he is willing to speak to the residents about their concerns. That might be a good place to start.
The dump services a wide area on the Beara peninsula. At its entrance is a sign warning the public of what should and should not be dumped at the site. Two items, fish and offal, are specifically excluded. Both, An Taisce claims, are being dumped unlawfully. The council says there is no proof of this and argues that its management system is adequate. An Taisce wants better fencing, a full time dump manager, segregation of the various wastes and a more consistent approach to waste management.
The organisation will seek a meeting with the council in the near future to draw up what it describes as a waste management charter. If the council acts, An Taisce then wants the people of the peninsula to play their own part.
The conservation watchdog would like to see householders adopting a more environmentally friendly approach to howl they handle their waste. Organic materials should be used for compost, plastics should be set to one side, and anything, that can be recycled should be, says Ms Jacqueline Hodgson, spokeswoman for An Taisce in the area.
It would be nice to think that the River Agahista could be restored as a pleasant waterway - an amenity for residents and tourists alike.