CHASE Press Release - 11-06-09
- Epidemiologist Says EIS Should Be Withdrawn Due to Plagiarism
- Ireland Still Not Equipped To Monitor Human Health

Epidemiologist and Professor of Health Systems at Dublin City University, Dr Anthony Staines, speaking at today's Oral Hearing, said that Indavers Environmental Health Impact Report (EHA) shows little grasp of the practical issues associated with population health surveys, that whole sections of their report was copied, verbatim and without attribution from Dr Staines own work, and should be withdrawn from consideration.

Dr Staines, who co-authored the Government Health Review Board Report (HRB) entitled Health and Environemntal Effects of Landfill and Incineration of Waste - A Literature Review, criticised Indavers saying "The material provided in the EIS falls far short of any reasonable estimate of what is required, and given the plagiarism identified, I suggest it be withdrawn from consideration. The people of Cork and the local community deserve better."

"Whole sections on Health issues relating to Respiratory Symptoms and Reproductive Effects are copied, verbatim and without any attribution, from Dr Staines HRB Report. Much of the Cancer section is also copied with a minor rewrite. The Cancer section refers to studies which have reported an association with cancer, but these are not further discussed."

Dr Staines also stated that the HRB Report which he authored noted that Ireland was poorly equipped to assess, monitor, and enforce human health protection, and he stated that although some progress has been made, this remains true. He said that "The current situation is that neither the EPA, nor the local authorities, have the capacity to adequately monitor and police human health."

"Overall this report is wholly inadequate and aside of the disgraceful plagiarism, the writer has not done what he suggested was required, i.e. a baseline environmental analysis, followed by an estimation of the impacts of changes in this on human health. It is not possible for any reasonable person to draw any conclusions as to the health impacts of the proposed development from the EIS."

Cobh GP, Dr George Fitzgerald, also spoke, and said that he believes that Indaver Ireland's proposed incinerators will affect the health of local populations on several levels, physically, mentally and socio-economially, and listed physical concerns such as endocrine disruption, respiratory disease and cancer.

ENDS

Contacts:
Mary O’Leary, 086 8177737, 021 4811952
Mary Hurley, 086 8162448, 021 4803070
Linda FitzPatrick, 087 7410849, 021 4374506