KARIN DUBSKY,
Sir, - A report in your edition of February 20th was headlined "Material dumped at Tramore landfill may be hazardous". In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency had confirmed on February 15th that the "material" was a hazardous waste sludge, so the word "may" did not apply.
The so-called "quarantine area" referred to in the report is an open skip on Tramore dump. When we visited the dump recently, there was ample evidence of more hazardous sludge on the ground, running into a leachate and surface water pond on the dump.
The council's "small quanity found" is a relative term. We saw several tonnes on the skip and more on the ground.
Waterford County Council's comment that there is "no reason for public concern" needs to be put into perspective. This dump is unlined. Apart from the high tide coming in under part of it, the sea is also eroding a long stretch of dump face.
It is only a matter of time before the waste contaminates the adjacent protected site - unless of course real action is taken to prevent it. - Yours, etc.,
KARIN DUBSKY,
Coastwatch Europe,
Trinity College,
Dublin 2.