PRESS RELEASE - 22 February, 2005
Epidemiology Expert Says Proper Health Impact Assessment Required
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Dr Anthony Staines, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, Dept of Public Health Medicine, UCD, said at the EPA Oral Hearing today that the proposed incinerator development requires a proper Health Impact Assessment to ensure reasonable consideration of human health issues in the planning and licensing processes. He also said that the material provided in the Indaver Enivironmental Impact Statement “falls short of any reasonable estimate of what is required”.

He recommended a formal scoping exercise should be considered in the following areas: Particulate emissions, Noise, Dust, Odour, Vermin, Bottom Ash, Fly Ash, Waste Transfer, Waste Spills, Flooding and Ground Water Contamination. He said these are complex exposures with many different effects on different sections of the population.

Marcia D’Alton, BE MengSc., in her evidence said that the purpose of the Air Modelling that Indaver did was to study the impact of the incinerators on human health. But because Indaver used data which was collected at a site twelve miles away and 100 metres higher, instead of at Ringaskiddy, the information is meaningless.

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Mary Hurley, PRO, CHASE 086 8162448 021 4813070
Mary O’Leary, Chairperson, CHASE, 086 8177737 021 4811952