Sunday 7 September 2008

Oxigen to seek permission for 100-acre biological treatment plant near Cavan

LOUTH waste management firm Oxigen is preparing to seek permission to build the country's largest biological treatment plant on a 100-acre site close to Cavan town.

The facility will be primarily used to process brown bin waste from the northeast region and will be able to handle 200,000 tonnes of waste per year, the same capacity as the proposed Carranstown incinerator in Co Meath.

The company declined to reveal the cost of the investment but it is likely, based on British figures, to be just under €30m.

Oxigen has already spent €11m on acquiring its site, which is located next to Cavan's Corranure landfill, from the local council in July 2007.

The company's managing director, Peter McLoughlin, told the Sunday Tribune the aim of the project was to divert waste from the landfill. He said it would not involve expanding the landfill or the construction of an incinerator.

"It's a recycling facility. We will handle the treatment of municipal, industrial and commercial waste including the biological treatment of waste," he said.

McLoughlin said it was the first time Oxigen had moved into the biological treatment of waste, which involves its digestion by bacteria, releasing energy which could be used to produce renewable electricity.

"We've been looking at it for a long period of time and are also examining it with a view to producing renewable electricity for the surrounding community," he said.

The country is unlikely to be able to meet its EU landfill reduction targets without the construction of new waste facilities.

Indaver, which is developing the Carranstown incinerator, has argued the state could face fines of up to €250m per year within the next couple of years unless it reduces its dependence on landfill.

Sunday Tribune

www.buckplanning.ie

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