Roadstone’s Massive Illegal Dump Sites
wicklow |
environment |
news report
Thursday February 16, 2006 14:37
by Barra
Illegal dumping in County Wicklow
Last week’s decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject the proposal put forward by Wicklow County Council to allow Roadstone develop a landfill on their site, where there are massive illegal dumps, has been met with universal approval.
One major question still remains – just how much illegal waste is there on Roadstone lands?
A Roadstone spokesman is spinning the figure down to 50 thousand tons. Last week Padraic Larkin, Deputy Director General of the EPA is quoted in saying that Roadstone in their application for a landfill estimated that they would have to deal with over 300,000 tons of waste; made up of
- 100, 000 tons of Hazardous waste.
- 180,000 tons of Household and Commercial waste.
- 120,000 tons Construction waste.
Green Party Councilor, Deirdre de Burca said, “Groups like Blessington Residents Against Dumps (BRAD) and the Blessington Forum are to be congradtulated on the very active campaign they ran opposing the licensing of an legal dump on Roadstone’s land.”
Deputy, Liz Mc Manu said “This is a case where the punishment must be made to fit the crime. Huge profits were made from illegal dumping of waste in County Wicklow and those responsible must be required to dispose of the waste in a safe and efficient manner."
Minister of the Enviroment, Dick Roche, said “This decision will mean the Roadstone will have to pay, not only for the clean up, but also for the independent expert who will monitor the operation and report back to the EPA.”
Sinn Fein Cllr. John Brady said “This decision again calls in to question the relationship that exsists between Wicklow County Council and Roadstone.”
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Comments (2 of 2)
Jump To Comment: 1 2Here is a puzzling thing. The EPA says it has refused the Roadstone waste licence application. It says it is confirming the proposed decision it made last July. That decision was to refuse the application. With me so far? Now concentrate cos it gets strange from here on.
You might think that if somone applies for a licence and their application is refused they would end up with no licence. In EPA-land however that would be wrong: fact is the EPA has given Roadstone a waste licence. All 30 plus pages of it are up on the EPA website. Search in Waste licensing quoting their reference number 213-1.
It did refuse one of the things Roadstone wanted to do, but it gave it a waste licence. And if you think it will be ok cos the licence says Roadstone must take some stuff away, try this little test: see if it says how much must go; or what exactly must go; or when? Then ask yourself if you were Roadstone would you be worried? (Clue: They say they welcome the decision.)
So the puzzle remains: why does the EPA want people to think it has refused to give Roadstone a licence when it knows otherwise?
People befoe Profit are holding a meeting in the IFI, Eustace St, Dublin on Friday 24th, from 7:30. Speakers include Áine Walsh of No Incineration campaign in Meath, a member of the Ballyogan Dump group, Joan Collins on the Bin protests and various others. Would somebody be prepared to come along and speak from the floor on the situation in Wicklow?