AN BORD Pleanála yesterday reopened a two-year-old oral hearing into proposals for a major regional landfill on a 600-acre site at Nevitt in north Co Dublin.
The board said the re-opening was in response to concerns from academics that the site may be the location of a pre-Christian, "large-ditched enclosure of the Tara or Navan kind".
Addressing the inquiry yesterday, board inspector Des Johnson outlined a series of submissions between academics and the Department of the Environment, since the first hearing closed in October 26th, 2006.
The department had voiced concern that Nevitt "could be a site of exceptional importance" and "possibly a site of national importance". The submissions centred on the name Nevitt being the Celtic word for "the sacred place", suggesting an archaeology richer than had been estimated by the environmental impact assessment (EIA), commissioned by Fingal County Council.
Dr Richard Warner of the Royal Irish Academy, former keeper of antiquities at the Ulster Museum and authority on placenames, told the inquiry he had not been aware of the controversy about the landfill until he heard the name.
Addressing the hearing yesterday, Dr Warner said too little attention had been paid by the EIA to the relevance of the place name, which he said was derived from the old Irish "Nemed" which "can only mean sacred place". This was the only place in Ireland with this name, which could only mean a place of great importance, he said.
Dr Warner said the overwhelming implication was a built or dug structure and was likely to have been a substantial built shrine, a collection of small sacred sites "or a very large ditched enclosure of the Tara/Navan kind".
The area's potential had been reported by Dr Conor Newman of NUI Galway, who found the area rich in Roman-British artefacts.
Dr Warner questioned the adequacy of the assessment's methodology, which used a "magnetometer" to detect archaeology. He argued the magnetometer was used on 15 per cent of the site.
But consultant archaeologist George Lambrick told the hearing the EIA had no significant weaknesses. He said: "The most significant archaeology is more likely to be protected . . . with no clear evidence to support the hypothesis that a potentially important prehistoric sacred place might remain undetected."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label landfill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label landfill. Show all posts
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Locals incensed Bord Pleanála rejected High Court advice on major landfill site
RESIDENTS OF Usk, near Kilcullen, Co Kildare, are incensed that An Bord Pleanála rejected a High Court recommendation when it granted permission for a major landfill site in the area.
Greenstar, one of Ireland’s leading waste management firms, had sought approval to dispose of some two million tonnes of municipal waste over a 10-year period on the 46-acre site of a quarry in Usk, seven kilometres south of Kilcullen.
The Usk and District Residents’ Association has been fighting plans to turn the disused quarry into a landfill site since they were first mooted in 2002 – at an estimated cost of €300,000, mainly in fees to retain lawyers and expert consultants.
Kildare Co Council officials initially supported the project, but councillors voted unanimously against it in mid-2004 and permission was refused. Greenstar appealed against this decision and An Bord Pleanála overturned it in July 2006. The residents’ association sought a judicial review of the board’s decision, which was contrary to the planning inspector’s recommendation, taking their case to the High Court in a bid to have the decision overturned.
In March 2007, Mr Justice Peter Kelly quashed it after the board conceded there was an “absence of satisfactory records leading to the decision” – thereby, as the judge said, “disabling it” from establishing its ruling was lawful. The local residents said they had “no faith in the objectivity or impartiality of the board” in dealing with the appeal, as it had “tied itself up in knots in attempting to explain its decision-making process in deciding to grant this permission”.
Referring the case back to the board, Mr Justice Kelly made a number of recommendations “which, without in any way accepting the validity of any of the complaints made by the applicant, will minimise the risk of further judicial review”. He said it would be prudent for the board to reopen the oral hearing. “That would provide a forum for all of the parties to place up-to-date information before the inspector and also to agitate any other questions considered appropriate.”
Given the board had 10 members and that only five had made the decision, he recommended that “further consideration of this matter by the board be dealt with by members of it who have not had a previous involvement in the case”.
Before it came to making its decision last month, after receipt of planning inspector Mary Cunneen’s second report recommending refusal, board chairman John O’Connor and deputy chairman Brian Hunt discussed Mr Justice Kelly’s recommendation.
According to a memorandum by Mr O’Connor, they agreed that “the most appropriate course would be to convene a meeting of all available board members (ie those who participated previously and those who did not) to decide the appeal”.
This course was taken, he wrote, because “the exclusion of the five members who took the quashed decision would seriously weaken the level of experience and expertise that would be brought to bear” in the decision.
The appeal involved “a major and significant infrastructural development which would, in accordance with established practice within the board, be decided at a board meeting involving the chairperson and deputy chairperson”.
Ms Cunneen, in her report, had recommended refusal because of the “undue proximity” of three houses to the proposed landfill site, “thereby seriously injuring the amenities and depreciating the value of those properties”.
A second reason she gave for refusal was that the development would be premature pending compliance with a High Court order made in December 2004 requiring that the former quarry – which was illegal – be restored.
But the appeals board decided unanimously to grant permission “having regard to national policy relating to waste, the waste management plan for Co Kildare 2005-2010 [and] the proximity of the site to the national road system”. Another reason for the decision was that the Environmental Protection Agency had already granted a licence to Greenstar for the proposed landfill, which the board said would be acceptable in terms of its impact on the amenities of the area.
The board noted that the waste licence granted by the EPA included conditions requiring a minimum distance of 100 metres between the landfill and nearby houses and said the impacts had been “adequately addressed” by the developer.
But locals are not reassured. “Everyone seems to believe that this is the wrong place for a dump, except An Bord Pleanála,” said Sharon Corrigan. “It’s been a long, hard and expensive fight to save our homes and protect our families”.
The Irish Times
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Greenstar, one of Ireland’s leading waste management firms, had sought approval to dispose of some two million tonnes of municipal waste over a 10-year period on the 46-acre site of a quarry in Usk, seven kilometres south of Kilcullen.
The Usk and District Residents’ Association has been fighting plans to turn the disused quarry into a landfill site since they were first mooted in 2002 – at an estimated cost of €300,000, mainly in fees to retain lawyers and expert consultants.
Kildare Co Council officials initially supported the project, but councillors voted unanimously against it in mid-2004 and permission was refused. Greenstar appealed against this decision and An Bord Pleanála overturned it in July 2006. The residents’ association sought a judicial review of the board’s decision, which was contrary to the planning inspector’s recommendation, taking their case to the High Court in a bid to have the decision overturned.
In March 2007, Mr Justice Peter Kelly quashed it after the board conceded there was an “absence of satisfactory records leading to the decision” – thereby, as the judge said, “disabling it” from establishing its ruling was lawful. The local residents said they had “no faith in the objectivity or impartiality of the board” in dealing with the appeal, as it had “tied itself up in knots in attempting to explain its decision-making process in deciding to grant this permission”.
Referring the case back to the board, Mr Justice Kelly made a number of recommendations “which, without in any way accepting the validity of any of the complaints made by the applicant, will minimise the risk of further judicial review”. He said it would be prudent for the board to reopen the oral hearing. “That would provide a forum for all of the parties to place up-to-date information before the inspector and also to agitate any other questions considered appropriate.”
Given the board had 10 members and that only five had made the decision, he recommended that “further consideration of this matter by the board be dealt with by members of it who have not had a previous involvement in the case”.
Before it came to making its decision last month, after receipt of planning inspector Mary Cunneen’s second report recommending refusal, board chairman John O’Connor and deputy chairman Brian Hunt discussed Mr Justice Kelly’s recommendation.
According to a memorandum by Mr O’Connor, they agreed that “the most appropriate course would be to convene a meeting of all available board members (ie those who participated previously and those who did not) to decide the appeal”.
This course was taken, he wrote, because “the exclusion of the five members who took the quashed decision would seriously weaken the level of experience and expertise that would be brought to bear” in the decision.
The appeal involved “a major and significant infrastructural development which would, in accordance with established practice within the board, be decided at a board meeting involving the chairperson and deputy chairperson”.
Ms Cunneen, in her report, had recommended refusal because of the “undue proximity” of three houses to the proposed landfill site, “thereby seriously injuring the amenities and depreciating the value of those properties”.
A second reason she gave for refusal was that the development would be premature pending compliance with a High Court order made in December 2004 requiring that the former quarry – which was illegal – be restored.
But the appeals board decided unanimously to grant permission “having regard to national policy relating to waste, the waste management plan for Co Kildare 2005-2010 [and] the proximity of the site to the national road system”. Another reason for the decision was that the Environmental Protection Agency had already granted a licence to Greenstar for the proposed landfill, which the board said would be acceptable in terms of its impact on the amenities of the area.
The board noted that the waste licence granted by the EPA included conditions requiring a minimum distance of 100 metres between the landfill and nearby houses and said the impacts had been “adequately addressed” by the developer.
But locals are not reassured. “Everyone seems to believe that this is the wrong place for a dump, except An Bord Pleanála,” said Sharon Corrigan. “It’s been a long, hard and expensive fight to save our homes and protect our families”.
The Irish Times
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Villagers upset at superdump green light
A controversiaL superdump, which will take in rubbish from across the country, has been approved after an eight-year battle between residents and developers Greenstar.
An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for the landfill in the tiny Co Kildare village of Usk.
Residents have battled against the applicants, Greenstar Holdings Ltd, for years. But the planning appeals board has now approved the development.
The proposed superdump will be close to 180 houses and is to operate for 10 years.
The site already holds a full waste licence from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to accept up to 180,000 tonnes of waste every year for the 10-year operation.
Campaigners are furious at An Bord Pleanala for going against their own inspector's recommendation to refuse permission for the landfill.
"Their inspector has written three reports at this point on this application and recommended refusal in all of her reports," said Des Henry, chairman of the Usk and District Residents' Association (UDRAL).
Opinion
"Why then does An Bord Pleanala see fit to allow members of the board to again discount her professional opinion?"
The group has spent eight years and more than €300,000 opposing the landfill plans.
During this times the association won a High Court victory and three oral hearings and is "at a loss" to understand the decision.
The UDRAL committee is now meeting legal and technical experts to decide on its next step.
An Bord Pleanala had initially granted permission for the dump to Greenstar in 2006 -- against the recommendation of its own inspector. Residents successfully sought a judicial review of the decision in the High Court and An Bord Pleanala conceded that it had failed to keep proper records in the case.
The High Court ordered that a second oral hearing should take place and it was held in November 2007.
Since then An Bord Pleanala missed several target dates for a decision -- but finally approved the controversial landfill on Wednesday.
Eimear Ni Bhraonain
www.independent.ie
An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for the landfill in the tiny Co Kildare village of Usk.
Residents have battled against the applicants, Greenstar Holdings Ltd, for years. But the planning appeals board has now approved the development.
The proposed superdump will be close to 180 houses and is to operate for 10 years.
The site already holds a full waste licence from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to accept up to 180,000 tonnes of waste every year for the 10-year operation.
Campaigners are furious at An Bord Pleanala for going against their own inspector's recommendation to refuse permission for the landfill.
"Their inspector has written three reports at this point on this application and recommended refusal in all of her reports," said Des Henry, chairman of the Usk and District Residents' Association (UDRAL).
Opinion
"Why then does An Bord Pleanala see fit to allow members of the board to again discount her professional opinion?"
The group has spent eight years and more than €300,000 opposing the landfill plans.
During this times the association won a High Court victory and three oral hearings and is "at a loss" to understand the decision.
The UDRAL committee is now meeting legal and technical experts to decide on its next step.
An Bord Pleanala had initially granted permission for the dump to Greenstar in 2006 -- against the recommendation of its own inspector. Residents successfully sought a judicial review of the decision in the High Court and An Bord Pleanala conceded that it had failed to keep proper records in the case.
The High Court ordered that a second oral hearing should take place and it was held in November 2007.
Since then An Bord Pleanala missed several target dates for a decision -- but finally approved the controversial landfill on Wednesday.
Eimear Ni Bhraonain
www.independent.ie
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Rise in landfill waste despite EU warnings
THE amount of waste being disposed of at landfill continues to increase in the face of an EU directive on reduction.
This country runs the risk of breaking EU environmental targets following an EPA report that shows biodegradable municipal waste has risen by 15% and the quantity of municipal waste is up by 11% on the previous year.
The collection of 7.4kg of waste electrical and electronic equipment per capita is almost double the EU target of 4kg per capita, the National Waste Report 2006 shows.
Construction and demolition waste accounts for 55% of all waste and stands at almost 17 million tonnes.
“This report shows that the amount of waste going to landfill is increasing, not decreasing as we would have expected if Ireland is to meet its EU commitment to landfill less than one million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010,” said deputy director general of the EPA Dr Padraic Larkin.
“The EPA is calling for urgent action to reverse this trend. There are several policy instruments that could turn the tide within one to two years. These include increasing the landfill levy and banning the landfilling of untreated waste.
“This problem must be tackled in 2008,” said Mr Larkin.
The report shows that the quantity of waste being recycled continues to rise with recycled municipal waste up by 18%; recycled household waste up by 14% and recycled packaging waste up by 8%.
The quantity of municipal waste sent to landfill increased by 8%. Urgent action is required to reverse this trend if Ireland is to have any chance of meeting the landfill diversion targets for 2010 set by the Landfill Directive.
Despite the increases in the actual quantity of waste recycled, the rate of municipal waste recycling only increased from 34% in 2005 to 36% in 2006.
The recycling rate for household waste remained at 22% in the same period despite the roll-out in all parts of the country of two-bin and three-bin systems for household waste collection and the large-scale use of bring banks, where 14% more waste was deposited in 2006, and civic amenity sites, where 84% more waste was deposited in 2006.
Dr Gerry Byrne, EPA programme manager, said: “Overall, there is very good progress to report on the recycling front. Householders and businesses are willing to recycle once they are given the appropriate incentives and services.
“Significant problems remain with regard to waste disposal. Urgent action is required in 2008 to divert waste from landfill and prevent further increases in waste generation,” said Dr Byrne.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
This country runs the risk of breaking EU environmental targets following an EPA report that shows biodegradable municipal waste has risen by 15% and the quantity of municipal waste is up by 11% on the previous year.
The collection of 7.4kg of waste electrical and electronic equipment per capita is almost double the EU target of 4kg per capita, the National Waste Report 2006 shows.
Construction and demolition waste accounts for 55% of all waste and stands at almost 17 million tonnes.
“This report shows that the amount of waste going to landfill is increasing, not decreasing as we would have expected if Ireland is to meet its EU commitment to landfill less than one million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010,” said deputy director general of the EPA Dr Padraic Larkin.
“The EPA is calling for urgent action to reverse this trend. There are several policy instruments that could turn the tide within one to two years. These include increasing the landfill levy and banning the landfilling of untreated waste.
“This problem must be tackled in 2008,” said Mr Larkin.
The report shows that the quantity of waste being recycled continues to rise with recycled municipal waste up by 18%; recycled household waste up by 14% and recycled packaging waste up by 8%.
The quantity of municipal waste sent to landfill increased by 8%. Urgent action is required to reverse this trend if Ireland is to have any chance of meeting the landfill diversion targets for 2010 set by the Landfill Directive.
Despite the increases in the actual quantity of waste recycled, the rate of municipal waste recycling only increased from 34% in 2005 to 36% in 2006.
The recycling rate for household waste remained at 22% in the same period despite the roll-out in all parts of the country of two-bin and three-bin systems for household waste collection and the large-scale use of bring banks, where 14% more waste was deposited in 2006, and civic amenity sites, where 84% more waste was deposited in 2006.
Dr Gerry Byrne, EPA programme manager, said: “Overall, there is very good progress to report on the recycling front. Householders and businesses are willing to recycle once they are given the appropriate incentives and services.
“Significant problems remain with regard to waste disposal. Urgent action is required in 2008 to divert waste from landfill and prevent further increases in waste generation,” said Dr Byrne.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 15 November 2007
EAST GALWAY LANDFILL BREACHES WASTE CONDITIONS
A Controversial landfill located near Ballinsloe has been issued with a notification of non -compliance with its waste licence due to the detection of both gas and waste odours.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that a Greenstar-owned landfill in east Galway breached the conditions of its waste licence.
Today's Irish Times reports that the non-compliance notice was issued to the Greenstar owned site in Kilconnel following an inspection by the office of enviromental enforcement.
However, Greenstar has replied to the notice saying a significant amount of work has taken place to reduce gas and waste emissions since the inspection was carried out.
www.buckplanning.ie
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that a Greenstar-owned landfill in east Galway breached the conditions of its waste licence.
Today's Irish Times reports that the non-compliance notice was issued to the Greenstar owned site in Kilconnel following an inspection by the office of enviromental enforcement.
However, Greenstar has replied to the notice saying a significant amount of work has taken place to reduce gas and waste emissions since the inspection was carried out.
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 26 October 2007
EU ruling may force clean-up of landfill sites
THE Government will be forced to clean up abandoned landfill sites around the country that are leaking into the groundwater and polluting it or face massive fines following a ruling from the European Court of Justice.
EU members are supposed to ensure that dangerous substances do not leak from waste and contaminate the groundwater from which most of the country’s drinking water comes.
But the court found that the Ballymurtagh landfill site in Co Wicklow has been leaching into the groundwater and the river Avoca nearby. The poisonous substances include mercury and cadmium from old batteries, which is cancer-causing This would not have happened had the site been properly lined but the authorities decided against this at the time on the basis that the river was already poisoned by heavy metals from a nearby disused mine.
The case has wider implications however, according to Labour MEP, Proinsias De Rossa, because it proves the Government has not been complying with the Groundwater Directive.
“Should the commission in the future be presented with evidence of pollution of groundwater by landfills, it has the right to ask the court to impose substantial fines against Ireland, possibly amounting to tens of millions of euro,” he said.
The case should also force the Environmental Protection Agency to review the way it does its job as the court found it had breached the directive by granting a licence for the Ballymurtagh landfill in April 2001 without carrying out a full examination of the local environment first.
“The EPA must now review its procedures for licensing landfills on foot of this ruling,” said Mr De Rossa. The authorities were also found guilty of allowing septic tanks attached to commercial ventures to pollute groundwater in Wexford and endanger the lakes of Killarney. However the court said they were not shown enough evidence by the European Commission that septic tanks were contaminating drinking water around the country.
The commission says it may return to the court with fresh evidence such as the cryptosporium found in Galway during the summer and EPA reports that 57% of groundwater samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms.
Mr De Rossa said the minister for the environment could not take any comfort from the fact that the court turned down the commission’s claim that Ireland had not done enough to prevent groundwater pollution from commercial septic tanks.
“It should be bourne in mind that Ireland had not taken all possible steps to prevent such pollution. There is still clearly a need for the minister for environment to take further action on groundwater pollution from septic tanks,” he said.
The Department of the Environment, who has been fighting this case for the past five years, said they were studying the court decision.
Irish Examiner
EU members are supposed to ensure that dangerous substances do not leak from waste and contaminate the groundwater from which most of the country’s drinking water comes.
But the court found that the Ballymurtagh landfill site in Co Wicklow has been leaching into the groundwater and the river Avoca nearby. The poisonous substances include mercury and cadmium from old batteries, which is cancer-causing This would not have happened had the site been properly lined but the authorities decided against this at the time on the basis that the river was already poisoned by heavy metals from a nearby disused mine.
The case has wider implications however, according to Labour MEP, Proinsias De Rossa, because it proves the Government has not been complying with the Groundwater Directive.
“Should the commission in the future be presented with evidence of pollution of groundwater by landfills, it has the right to ask the court to impose substantial fines against Ireland, possibly amounting to tens of millions of euro,” he said.
The case should also force the Environmental Protection Agency to review the way it does its job as the court found it had breached the directive by granting a licence for the Ballymurtagh landfill in April 2001 without carrying out a full examination of the local environment first.
“The EPA must now review its procedures for licensing landfills on foot of this ruling,” said Mr De Rossa. The authorities were also found guilty of allowing septic tanks attached to commercial ventures to pollute groundwater in Wexford and endanger the lakes of Killarney. However the court said they were not shown enough evidence by the European Commission that septic tanks were contaminating drinking water around the country.
The commission says it may return to the court with fresh evidence such as the cryptosporium found in Galway during the summer and EPA reports that 57% of groundwater samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms.
Mr De Rossa said the minister for the environment could not take any comfort from the fact that the court turned down the commission’s claim that Ireland had not done enough to prevent groundwater pollution from commercial septic tanks.
“It should be bourne in mind that Ireland had not taken all possible steps to prevent such pollution. There is still clearly a need for the minister for environment to take further action on groundwater pollution from septic tanks,” he said.
The Department of the Environment, who has been fighting this case for the past five years, said they were studying the court decision.
Irish Examiner
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Call for land"ll levy hike to encourage composting
THE Composting Association of Ireland (Cre) has called on the government to dramatically increase the state's landfill levy from 15 per tonne to at least 50 per tonne to encourage businesses to compost their biodegradable waste.
The association's executive administrator, Percy Foster, said the country looks set to be fined up to 200m a year by the European Commission if it fails to meet a series of directives covering the disposal of biodegradable waste, which are due to come into force in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Environment has conceded that meeting the targets would require "urgent, concerted and sustained efforts all round to meet the directive's targets", and indicated that incineration may be one of the technologies employed by the government to achieve this.
Under the directives, Ireland must reduce the amount of biodegradable waste it sends to landfill to 75% of its 1995 level. However, in 2005, it sent 101.4% of this figure to landfill, which according to Foster, is partly due to the low take-up of composting.
"The recovery rate for organic waste that can be composted was just 6.4% in 2005 and we need to make drastic changes to achieve our European targets, " he said.
Foster said one of the main obstacles to the development of composting facilities in Ireland was the low cost of landfill, which he believes may be responsible for a surprising drop-off in the waste supplied to many composting companies in recent months, particularly in Dublin.
Sunday Tribune
The association's executive administrator, Percy Foster, said the country looks set to be fined up to 200m a year by the European Commission if it fails to meet a series of directives covering the disposal of biodegradable waste, which are due to come into force in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Environment has conceded that meeting the targets would require "urgent, concerted and sustained efforts all round to meet the directive's targets", and indicated that incineration may be one of the technologies employed by the government to achieve this.
Under the directives, Ireland must reduce the amount of biodegradable waste it sends to landfill to 75% of its 1995 level. However, in 2005, it sent 101.4% of this figure to landfill, which according to Foster, is partly due to the low take-up of composting.
"The recovery rate for organic waste that can be composted was just 6.4% in 2005 and we need to make drastic changes to achieve our European targets, " he said.
Foster said one of the main obstacles to the development of composting facilities in Ireland was the low cost of landfill, which he believes may be responsible for a surprising drop-off in the waste supplied to many composting companies in recent months, particularly in Dublin.
Sunday Tribune
Friday, 27 April 2007
Corranure Landfill smell unacceptable – Manager
Major works are currently in train to control the foul smell of gas from the
Corranure Landfill site, adjacant to the Cootehill road but the County Manager
Jack Keyes points out that the total elimination of all odour from current
landfills is an impossibility.
The Manager told a meeting of Cavan County Council this week that he
wished to acknowledge the presence of foul odours in the area surrounding
Coranure landfill. The situation has been unacceptable for some time.
Significant resources have been inputted to find a solution. Expert companies
from Ireland and the UK have played roles. There have been a noticeable
improvement in recent weeks.
Cavan County Council has recently undertaken significant works at Corranure
Landfill to address landfill gas odour emanating from the facility and intends
shortly to provide a permanent capping system to the current active cell which
will significantly reduce gas emissions.
Specialist landfill gas management companies have been employed in the
upgrading and monitoring of the gas collection and flaring systems. To
improve the efficiency of the gas collection system and reduce odour
emissions, the Council has recently provided a 0.5m clay capping layer to the
active cell on all areas except the working face, which has resulted in a
noticeable reduction in gas emissions at the facility.
"I would like to thank all those who have made submissions or expressed
opinions and assure them that progress is being made. The fact that the
situation has existed in many other landfills across the country is of little
comfort to those whose quality of life has been affected. The focus is now on
the future", stated the Co. Manager.
Mr. Keyes pointed out that the kernal of the problem is the use of the landfill to
dispose of ever increasing quantities of waste. The decomposition of waste
leads to the production of methane gas which causes smell. The
accompanying technical statement gives details of some of the measures
used to deal with same.
"The medium term solution we are developing is to cease the landfilling of
composable material and to develop alternative technology to deal with waste.
I am happy to confirm that the planning for this is advanced".
"Corranure now needs to re-establish itself as a landfill/waste disposal facility
of the highest reputation. The civic amenity site, used by many members of
the public, is an example of the quality Cavan County Council provides. It is
my intention, working with my professional and willing staff and the elected
members, to bring forward a solution for the people residing adjacant to
Corranure, and the county at large", stated the Co. Manager.
Sean McMahon
© Anglo-Celt
Corranure Landfill site, adjacant to the Cootehill road but the County Manager
Jack Keyes points out that the total elimination of all odour from current
landfills is an impossibility.
The Manager told a meeting of Cavan County Council this week that he
wished to acknowledge the presence of foul odours in the area surrounding
Coranure landfill. The situation has been unacceptable for some time.
Significant resources have been inputted to find a solution. Expert companies
from Ireland and the UK have played roles. There have been a noticeable
improvement in recent weeks.
Cavan County Council has recently undertaken significant works at Corranure
Landfill to address landfill gas odour emanating from the facility and intends
shortly to provide a permanent capping system to the current active cell which
will significantly reduce gas emissions.
Specialist landfill gas management companies have been employed in the
upgrading and monitoring of the gas collection and flaring systems. To
improve the efficiency of the gas collection system and reduce odour
emissions, the Council has recently provided a 0.5m clay capping layer to the
active cell on all areas except the working face, which has resulted in a
noticeable reduction in gas emissions at the facility.
"I would like to thank all those who have made submissions or expressed
opinions and assure them that progress is being made. The fact that the
situation has existed in many other landfills across the country is of little
comfort to those whose quality of life has been affected. The focus is now on
the future", stated the Co. Manager.
Mr. Keyes pointed out that the kernal of the problem is the use of the landfill to
dispose of ever increasing quantities of waste. The decomposition of waste
leads to the production of methane gas which causes smell. The
accompanying technical statement gives details of some of the measures
used to deal with same.
"The medium term solution we are developing is to cease the landfilling of
composable material and to develop alternative technology to deal with waste.
I am happy to confirm that the planning for this is advanced".
"Corranure now needs to re-establish itself as a landfill/waste disposal facility
of the highest reputation. The civic amenity site, used by many members of
the public, is an example of the quality Cavan County Council provides. It is
my intention, working with my professional and willing staff and the elected
members, to bring forward a solution for the people residing adjacant to
Corranure, and the county at large", stated the Co. Manager.
Sean McMahon
© Anglo-Celt
Friday, 16 March 2007
Planning board urged to reopen landfill hearing
A High Court judge has "strongly recommended" that An Bord Pleanála reopens an oral hearing into a proposed landfill development in Co Kildare following the board's acceptance that its decision granting permission for the landfill should be quashed because of the "unusual circumstances" leading to that decision.
The board had conceded that the failure to record its decision of July 24th, 2006, approving conditions attached to the planning permission for the landfill at Usk, Kilcullen, meant that it could not establish its decision was made in accordance with law, Mr Justice Peter Kelly said. He said he would quash the granting of permission on that basis.
While the Usk and District Residents Group, which had challenged the decision, had argued there were other grounds for quashing, he said it was not in anyone's interest that court time should be spent addressing those.
While he could not order the board to reopen its oral hearing, he was strongly recommending it do so and was also suggesting the issue of permission for the development should be determined by board members who were not involved in the original decision.
That suggestion, he stressed, did not mean he accepted the criticisms of the five board members involved in the original decision. There might or might not be substance in the criticism but he did not have to adjudicate on that and his suggestion was to minimise the risk of further judicial review.
On that basis, he granted the board's application for the matter to be returned to it for a fresh determination. He also directed that the board pay the costs of the residents group and of Greenstar Recycling Holdings Ltd, the developer of the proposed landfill.
The residents group had opposed the matter being returned to the board and had urged the court simply to quash the permission.
Mr Justice Kelly said his discretion whether to remit had to be exercised with the overall objective of achieving a just result. In this case, the board had disagreed with its inspector's recommendation to refuse and an imperfection in the way it had dealt with the disagreement had led to the permission being quashed.
If the case was not remitted, Greenstar would have to start all over again, he said. The residents had no complaint about how the board had dealt with the matter until August 2005, after the inspector's first report. In those circumstances, it would be disproportionate to Greenstar's rights not to return the matter to the board.
While the residents group had said it had no faith in the board's impartiality and alleged it dealt with the application in a "peculiar" and "incredible way", he would make no findings on those claims.
The case arose from an An Bord Pleanála decision to grant permission for the landfill development at Usk to process 200,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste annually for 10 years.
Mary Carolan
© 2007 The Irish Times
The board had conceded that the failure to record its decision of July 24th, 2006, approving conditions attached to the planning permission for the landfill at Usk, Kilcullen, meant that it could not establish its decision was made in accordance with law, Mr Justice Peter Kelly said. He said he would quash the granting of permission on that basis.
While the Usk and District Residents Group, which had challenged the decision, had argued there were other grounds for quashing, he said it was not in anyone's interest that court time should be spent addressing those.
While he could not order the board to reopen its oral hearing, he was strongly recommending it do so and was also suggesting the issue of permission for the development should be determined by board members who were not involved in the original decision.
That suggestion, he stressed, did not mean he accepted the criticisms of the five board members involved in the original decision. There might or might not be substance in the criticism but he did not have to adjudicate on that and his suggestion was to minimise the risk of further judicial review.
On that basis, he granted the board's application for the matter to be returned to it for a fresh determination. He also directed that the board pay the costs of the residents group and of Greenstar Recycling Holdings Ltd, the developer of the proposed landfill.
The residents group had opposed the matter being returned to the board and had urged the court simply to quash the permission.
Mr Justice Kelly said his discretion whether to remit had to be exercised with the overall objective of achieving a just result. In this case, the board had disagreed with its inspector's recommendation to refuse and an imperfection in the way it had dealt with the disagreement had led to the permission being quashed.
If the case was not remitted, Greenstar would have to start all over again, he said. The residents had no complaint about how the board had dealt with the matter until August 2005, after the inspector's first report. In those circumstances, it would be disproportionate to Greenstar's rights not to return the matter to the board.
While the residents group had said it had no faith in the board's impartiality and alleged it dealt with the application in a "peculiar" and "incredible way", he would make no findings on those claims.
The case arose from an An Bord Pleanála decision to grant permission for the landfill development at Usk to process 200,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste annually for 10 years.
Mary Carolan
© 2007 The Irish Times
Friday, 5 January 2007
Donegal landfill dispute deepens
The Irish Times also covered the Donegal Landfill story:
An Bord Pleanála has come under pressure from Donegal County Council to support a new application for a controversial landfill development close to Glenveagh National Park.
Although the appeals board refused planning permission for the landfill at Meenaboll a year ago, it has been asked by the local authority to specify necessary requirements for an environmental impact statement (EIS) for such a project.
The scoping document, which the appeals board has just published, lays emphasis on the need for alternative site locations in any application, "taking into account the effect on the environment".
It names particular species of bird and animal which must be considered - including the golden eagle, which has been re-introduced by the State into the north Donegal area
The document's publication has prompted opponents of the landfill to call on Donegal County Council to "come clean" on the issue and to "stop trying to bully An Bord Pleanála".
The county council identified the proposed regional landfill on a 14.5 hectare site at Meenaboll, west of Letterkenny, over four years ago.
Under its regional waste management plan, the new site would take 24,000 tonnes of municipal waste over 20 years.
The site is an upland area bordering on a special area of conservation, and within sight of Errigal mountain and Glenveagh.
Objectors, including An Taisce and the Meenaboll Environmental Protection Group, said the leachate from the landfill could pollute Gartan Lake near Church Hill, which provides the public water supply to Letterkenny.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the project a waste management licence but An Bord Pleanála turned down the planning application in January 2006.
The appeals board took the location's proximity to Glenveagh into account in its ruling, and noted that its upland location would pose a risk of landslides and consequent water pollution.
It said it would "constitute an unwarranted intrusion into the landscape and would potentially have significant adverse effects on protected and endangered species".
Gerry Mulgrew, of the Meenaboll Environmental Protection Group, said that he was confident that elected members of Donegal County Council did not support this project, whereas officials seemed to be determined to push it through.
Donegal County Council was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Lorna Siggins
An Bord Pleanála has come under pressure from Donegal County Council to support a new application for a controversial landfill development close to Glenveagh National Park.
Although the appeals board refused planning permission for the landfill at Meenaboll a year ago, it has been asked by the local authority to specify necessary requirements for an environmental impact statement (EIS) for such a project.
The scoping document, which the appeals board has just published, lays emphasis on the need for alternative site locations in any application, "taking into account the effect on the environment".
It names particular species of bird and animal which must be considered - including the golden eagle, which has been re-introduced by the State into the north Donegal area
The document's publication has prompted opponents of the landfill to call on Donegal County Council to "come clean" on the issue and to "stop trying to bully An Bord Pleanála".
The county council identified the proposed regional landfill on a 14.5 hectare site at Meenaboll, west of Letterkenny, over four years ago.
Under its regional waste management plan, the new site would take 24,000 tonnes of municipal waste over 20 years.
The site is an upland area bordering on a special area of conservation, and within sight of Errigal mountain and Glenveagh.
Objectors, including An Taisce and the Meenaboll Environmental Protection Group, said the leachate from the landfill could pollute Gartan Lake near Church Hill, which provides the public water supply to Letterkenny.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the project a waste management licence but An Bord Pleanála turned down the planning application in January 2006.
The appeals board took the location's proximity to Glenveagh into account in its ruling, and noted that its upland location would pose a risk of landslides and consequent water pollution.
It said it would "constitute an unwarranted intrusion into the landscape and would potentially have significant adverse effects on protected and endangered species".
Gerry Mulgrew, of the Meenaboll Environmental Protection Group, said that he was confident that elected members of Donegal County Council did not support this project, whereas officials seemed to be determined to push it through.
Donegal County Council was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Lorna Siggins
Donegal Meenaboll landfill plan scrapped
This from Donegal News:
A scoping report issued by An Bord Pleanála to Donegal County Council last week has backed-up its reasons for refusing planning permission for the development of a landfill site at Meenaboll.
Last week a decision was taken by County Councillors not to spend any more public money on pursuing a establishing a landfill at that location. In welcoming the decision, a spokesperson for the group opposed to the development of the landfill stated that they are still not satisfied that the issue has been resolved once an for all.
"We have learnt from experience that we cannot trust everything we hear. And in light of this we will be keeping a very watchful eye on the Council and all their moves as regards Meenaboll," explained Gerry Mulgrew.
In January of this year An Bord Pleanála refused permission to Donegal County Council for the development of a landfill site at Meenaboll. As a public body the Council was entitled to request a 'scoping report' from the planning appeals board giving a detailed description for the grounds on which they were refused. This report was issued to the Council at the end of last week, and a copy, obtained by the Donegal News, stated clearly that any development of a landfill site at Meenaboll would have a detrimental affect on the on the natural amenities surrounding it.
At last week's Council meeting, Councillor Francis Conaghan expressed his belief that elected members had been treated "shoddily" on this issue and stated that the executive handled the Meenaboll situation "by stealth".
County Manager Michael McLoone stated: "I do not think the executive have acted without authority in regard to this matter and I did get approval of the elected members to seek the scoping report."
Sinn Fein's Donegal North East representative, Councillor Padraig Mac Lochlainn, praised local people following the decision that no more public money should be spent on the proposal for a landfill site at Meenaboll.
It was also agreed that a workshop should be established to discuss the implications of the situation. That workshop will inevitably involve major focus on future recycling options.
Cllr Mac Lochlainn said: "I want to praise local people for their campaign against the Meenaboll proposal. That campaign was vindicated by An Bord Pleanala's original decision in this matter.
"I also want to commend the other political parties on Donegal County Council for having the good sense to back Sinn Fein's very vocal leadership on this issue.
"The Council's decision to halt the Meenaboll proposal is an important reminder to the Council Executive that they are obliged to work in partnership with the elected members."
Gerry Mulgrew thanked Sinn Fein for tabling the motion as well as the County Mayor Enda Bonner, and Cllrs Francis Conaghan and Ian McGarvey for their support on the issue.
A scoping report issued by An Bord Pleanála to Donegal County Council last week has backed-up its reasons for refusing planning permission for the development of a landfill site at Meenaboll.
Last week a decision was taken by County Councillors not to spend any more public money on pursuing a establishing a landfill at that location. In welcoming the decision, a spokesperson for the group opposed to the development of the landfill stated that they are still not satisfied that the issue has been resolved once an for all.
"We have learnt from experience that we cannot trust everything we hear. And in light of this we will be keeping a very watchful eye on the Council and all their moves as regards Meenaboll," explained Gerry Mulgrew.
In January of this year An Bord Pleanála refused permission to Donegal County Council for the development of a landfill site at Meenaboll. As a public body the Council was entitled to request a 'scoping report' from the planning appeals board giving a detailed description for the grounds on which they were refused. This report was issued to the Council at the end of last week, and a copy, obtained by the Donegal News, stated clearly that any development of a landfill site at Meenaboll would have a detrimental affect on the on the natural amenities surrounding it.
At last week's Council meeting, Councillor Francis Conaghan expressed his belief that elected members had been treated "shoddily" on this issue and stated that the executive handled the Meenaboll situation "by stealth".
County Manager Michael McLoone stated: "I do not think the executive have acted without authority in regard to this matter and I did get approval of the elected members to seek the scoping report."
Sinn Fein's Donegal North East representative, Councillor Padraig Mac Lochlainn, praised local people following the decision that no more public money should be spent on the proposal for a landfill site at Meenaboll.
It was also agreed that a workshop should be established to discuss the implications of the situation. That workshop will inevitably involve major focus on future recycling options.
Cllr Mac Lochlainn said: "I want to praise local people for their campaign against the Meenaboll proposal. That campaign was vindicated by An Bord Pleanala's original decision in this matter.
"I also want to commend the other political parties on Donegal County Council for having the good sense to back Sinn Fein's very vocal leadership on this issue.
"The Council's decision to halt the Meenaboll proposal is an important reminder to the Council Executive that they are obliged to work in partnership with the elected members."
Gerry Mulgrew thanked Sinn Fein for tabling the motion as well as the County Mayor Enda Bonner, and Cllrs Francis Conaghan and Ian McGarvey for their support on the issue.
Friday, 24 November 2006
Laois residents and council reach agreement of sorts on landfill
Laois residents and council reach agreement of sorts on landfill
RESIDENTS from the Derryguile and Kyletalesha area and Laois Co. Council have reached agreement in part on a way forward in addressing the odours coming from the landfill site at Kyletelisha.
Following a sometimes heated and emotional meeting early last week in the Macra Hall in Mountmellick where locals vented their anger at the ongoing odour emissions and health concerns from the landfill a further meeting took place between senior council personal and the Kyletalesha Monitoring committee in County Hall last Friday.
At that meeting a progress report was given by the council’s senior engineer John O’Donoghue on the capital works at Kyletalesha. He said the construction of the new landfill cell 14 was 90% complete and the new gas collection system, including state-of-the-art flaring, is operational since November 6. He said the council is employing a landfill gas specialist to carry out a report on the landfill and joint odour controls with gas monitors would be carried out with local residents.
County manager Peter Carey accepted a nuisance had been caused by the odours and said improvements had been made. He confirmed the council’s commitment to carry out works to minimise the nuisance.
Director of services John Daly said the Health Services Executive (HSE) would be commissioned to carry out an independent report into health issues the residents may have.
In reply the Derryguile and Kyletalesha Residents Association welcomed some of the council’s initiatives.
They welcomed the appointment of two independent specialists to deal with the health aspect and gas and odours systems. The arrival of the equipment to monitor the gas emissions and the closure of the landfill to commercial waste were also welcomed.
Mr Daly confirmed the council has ceased taking in waste from commercial operators and emphaised this had nothing to do with the gas or odours but the landfill was reaching its annul licenced capacity.
The residents say: “We believe the cell currently under construction (cell 14) must not be opened until the current odour and gas problems are resolved.
“We have no faith in the flare system currently in place as the odour problems are still there and at the same severity.â€
The residents’ spokesperson, Anne Dickinson, said the association is still concerned the council still have plans to take in waste from outside the county.
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