CHASE PRESS RELEASE – Monday, 08 December 2008
CHASE Welcomes Publication of Irish Steel Report, And Calls For Timely Action

CHASE welcomes the publication of the Report on the assessment of the current site conditions at the former Irish Steel Plant. The Report shows high levels of chromium and lead in shellfish, elevated concentrations of mercury, arsenic and nickel in water samples and warns that dust from exposed sludge material poses a future airborne threat in dry weather periods.

It is ironic that these results are released as the near-collapse of the pork industry highlights how dangerous even a small amount of dioxin or PCB is. Our 7 year campaign against a Hazardous Waste incinerator proposal next to Haulbowline has educated us as to the effects of such environmental pollution. Both contaminants were found on the Irish Steel site and are by-products of incineration.

Erin Brocovich warned us to be alarmed by any levels of chromium 6, and the same goes for other heavy metals flagged by this report, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, nickel and copper.

All investigations show that this site poses a chronic problem for the Community - what is important now is that that the site be made safe, funding be made available for this purpose, and that Minister Gormley gets political support from all Cork Ministers around the cabinet table to fund action in this economic downturn.

We have been promised that the community will be included in any clean-up proposals and are we are willing to look to the future and work with the Minister and the Department of the Environment in a spirit of co-operation.

We look forward to the presentation of an action plan for Government approval in the New Year.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Mary Hurley, 086 8162448, 021 4803070
Linda FitzPatrick, 087 7410849, 021 4374506
Mary O’Leary, 086 8177737, 021 4811952