CHASE Press Release 29-03-06
CHASE WELCOMES OFFICIAL OPENING OF NATIONAL MARITIME COLLEGE BUT WARNS OF DEADLY POTENTIAL NEIGHBOUR NEXTDOOR

CHASE welcomes the official opening of the National Maritime College (Thursday 30th March) at Ringaskiddy by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, but calls on her to recognize the grave risk to students and staff which would be posed by building a toxic waste incinerator next door.

The development of such a facility is a testament to the far sightedness and hard work of many groups in Cork and the Harbour area over many years. A College with national and international status promotes a vision for the area which reflects the innovative thinking behind the County Development Plan and the Cork Area Strategic Plan.

The close proximity of the proposed toxic waste incinerator site (55 feet) from the entrance to the College however cannot but concern the Minister when she views the site for herself. She must be equally alarmed when she reads the findings of a Senior Planner of An Bord Pleanala in relation to the safety of the students and staff at the College in the event of a major accident hazard and the Hazard Report*.

The site at Ringaskiddy fails the site selection criteria for hazardous waste incinerators by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These criteria must be used when such dangerous facilities are considered necessary, and if the site fails on any one of the criteria it is deemed to be unsuitable. The safety and wellbeing of the students and staff must be prioritized before the financial interests of a commercial company.

CHASE will ask the Minister to support the views of her Cabinet colleagues Minister for Defense Willie O Dea, who said “the location seems utterly inappropriate is there no other location?”, and the opinions of Ministers’ Martin and O Keeffe who describe the site as totally inappropriate. We believe when she sees the proposed incinerator site she cannot but be convinced about the irrationality of locating such a facility so close to a densely populated education establishment.

*“The Board is not satisfied. … that the proposed development would not pose significant risks to public safety in the event of a major accident hazard, particularly in view of the proximity of the site to the National Maritime College and having regard to the inadequacy of the emergency infrastructure in the area and to the location of the site at the end of the peninsula, with limited access.” Inspector’s Report An Bord Pleanala.

* “In the case of a pool fire over the bunded area, the resulting heat radiation at 200m (the distance from the Tank Farm to the edge of the proposed Naval College) would be 5kw/m which would be sufficient to cause 2nd degree burns after 40 seconds exposure” - Report On Hazard Identification and Evaluation Process For Major Accident Prevention Waste Management Facility, Ringaskiddy Indaver Ireland - Byrne O Cleirigh.

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For further information:

Mary Hurley, CHASE PRO, 021 4813070 086 8162448
Mary O’Leary, CHASE Chairperson, 021 4811952 086 8177737