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Clare County Council to appeal findings of EPA report

  • 21-10-2006 2:05pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46


    Clare County Council today said it was baffled by an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to issue it with two non-compliance orders arising out of an unannounced audit of the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduffbeg, near Inagh in County Clare. The breaches of the Council’s waste management licence relate to the adequacy of landfill cover during an EPA inspection on August 23rd 2006. Clare County Council said it intended to appeal the report’s findings claiming that, in its view, an objective assessment of its overall operation of the site would indicate that non-compliance orders should not have been issued.

    “Clare County Council is somewhat perplexed at the non-compliance orders issued by the EPA considering that very significant improvement works have been undertaken at the site”, stated Ger Dollard, Director of Services with Clare County Council. He added that the Council is continuously reviewing its processes to ensure that the site is operated to the highest standards.

    Explaining the grounds for appealing the non-compliances, Mr. Dollard said, “The whole purpose of landfill cover is to improve the appearance of the facility and to decrease the possibility of windblown litter. It also significantly reduces access to waste by birds, insects and vermin and fire risk. As the EPA have not indicated that any nuisance arose on the day of the audit, it is the Council's view that the existing cover has adequately fulfilled its purpose and a non-compliance finding is unjustified and not supported".

    One of the two non-compliance orders issued by the EPA relates to the final capping of two landfill cells. However, Clare County Council claims that it undertook final capping works on the said cells in line with its approach to ensuring the facility does not give rise to any significant nuisance in the locality.

    According to Ger Dollard, “There are very difficult practical and technical issues to be addressed in finalising this capping on the interphase between cells and on the south eastern slope of cell 9. We have put forward a detailed technical case on this issue to the EPA over an extended period of time. We have sought the professional advice of the EPA as to how such work could be satisfactorily and safely
    undertaken and guidance where similar work has been completed in other landfills around the country. The Council notes the specific Condition, which apparently has been breached and cannot accept that the condition indicated or the basis for non-compliance is valid. We will be appealing this to the EPA and believe an objective assessment of the issues would indicate that a non compliance with the waste licence is not justified.”

    The EPA report contains twenty other observations in relation to Clare County Council’s management of the site. The Local Authority has confirmed that it will be considering these observations and addressing them where relevant to further improve environmental performance of the facility.

    Meanwhile, the Mayor of Clare Cllr. Flan Garvey has expressed satisfaction that the recent EPA audit at Ballyduffbeg acknowledged the Council’s work in relation to landfill gas management, which is one of the main priority issues at the site. The works undertaken included the installation of a horizontal gas system in the active cell and the provision of increased capacity in the landfill flare.

    Mayor Garvey, who is Chairman of the Ballyduffbeg Community Liaison Committee, stated, “I frequently visit the Ballyduffbeg Waste Management Facility and have always found it to be operating very satisfactorily. I am aware that local residents have raised issues and that the Council staff, many of which are native to the Inagh and Kilnamona areas, have made every effort to ensure that anything that can be addressed is dealt with in a prompt and efficient manner.”

    “Work is ongoing at the facility to further improve its appearance and prevent any nuisances. I am aware that Clare County Council has requested that the EPA provide them with information on other landfills in order to improve the standard of facilities at Ballyduffbeg, as the EPA have requested. As of yet, such information has not been forthcoming from the EPA”, Mayor Garvey concluded.


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