CHASE PRESS RELEASE – 26 June 2008

NO CONFIDENCE AS AUTHORITIES SWING INTO PR MODE
EPA Reform a Must
Repeated Call for Cork Harbour Health Study

The Haulbowline Toxic Waste Lagoon Debacle shows the ‘Responsible Authorities’ are collectively unable to protect the community and unwilling to take action on this because they are too busy protecting their own backs.

With detailed investigations from 6 years ago finding a ‘high likelihood’ of ‘severe health risks’ to the community, disgraceful efforts to cap highly toxic waste with more waste show complete contempt for the communities nearby

A spokesperson for CHASE said “We call on Environment Minister John Gormley to implement his promised EPA reform, and to separate the EPA into stand-alone protection and licensing bodies. The current remit where the EPA has dual responsibility means that the community is sacrificed because the EPA must look after its customers, industry.

We also call on an immediate baseline study to establish the health of the surrounding populations in Cork Harbour, to assess what the health impact has been, and to set this as a marker for future damage assessment. We believe that the continued refusal over the past 30 years has been a head-in-the sand approach.

We fear GREATLY that in the event of an accident at the proposed incinerator, no authority will be willing or able to protect the community, PR machines will swing into damage limitation mode, and the polluter will left scott free, just as Irish Steel and Mittal are in Haulbowline.”

The proposed 100,000 Hazardous Waste incinerator for Ringasiddy is currently awaiting court outcomes. The proposed 100,000 tonne Municipal Waste incinerator has been submitted for fast-track infrastructure planning by Indaver Ireland.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Mary Hurley, PRO, 086 8162448, 021 4803070
Linda FitzPatrick, 087 7410849, 021 4374506