Dublin Bay Dumping in SAC

yankinlk

Looking for some advice or suggestions on how to create some grass roots awareness and support for the campaign to prevent dumping of dredge material in the Special Area of Conservation in Dublin Bay.

Any and all help support and ideas appreciated.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dublin-port-dumping-plan-attracts-record-number-of-objections-1.2692660

http://coastmonkey.ie/news/dumping-of/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

yankinlk

The Dublin Port Company, (DPC), plans the imminent dredging of Dublin port. Spoil resulting from

the dredging will be dumped in the Rockabill to Dalkey Island Special Area of Conservation (SAC),

specifically at the Burford Bank which lies in the middle of Dublin Bay. This is also within the UNESCO

Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve.

Divers Against Dumping, (DAD), an association of organisations, businesses and clubs that share a

common interest in the protection of Irelands underwater habitats and heritage has valid reason to

suspect that this spoil is “mildly to moderately” contaminated.

The permit being used by DPC to dump this spoil was issued in 2011 before the area was designated

an SAC. If the same permit application were to be made today, it would have to go through an

appropriate assessment. The extended use of this permit has not undergone any public consultation

contrary to the Aarhus Convention, Articles 4 and 5 of Directive 2003/35/EC on public

participation. Under the Convention, the public has a right to participate in decision-making in

environmental matters.

http://www.environ.ie/environment/aarhus-convention/aarhus- convention)

Reports as submitted by DPC to the Environmental Protection Agency appear to show that in

previous dumping operations the terms of the licence to dump spoil on the Burford Bank were not

adhered to. Evidence shows that contaminated material dumped on or on the way to the agreed

dump site did not stay in the planned location but quickly shifted around Dublin Bay. Should Dublin

Port Company go ahead with this latest plan to dump spoil, this will happen again and the

contaminated material may enter the food chain

Special Areas of Conservation are created under the EU Habitats Directive to protect vulnerable

habitats and animal species. The Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC has been designated to protect the

harbour porpoise, the smallest member of the whale and dolphin group, and rocky reef habitats,

both requiring protection due to their vulnerability to pollution

While Divers Against Dumping accept the necessity to dredge the channels in Dublin Port we

strongly oppose the use of a European Special Area of Conservation as the waste ground for

dumping spoil.

More sustainable options for dealing with dredged spoil should be investigated.

Further information: Contact Louise at dublinbay@diving.ie, Tel 01 2844601.