PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release: Monday 29 Sept, 2003  

Dutch Health Expert says  INCINERATOR WILL DEFINITELY AFFECT HEALTH OF HARBOUR RESIDENTS
Mr David Stanton, TD says No Need for Incinerator

Cork Harbour residents will get no comfort from the contribution of Dutch doctor, Dr. Gavin ten Tusscher, on Day Six (Mon 29 Sept) of the An Bord Pleanala toxic incinerator oral hearing at the Neptune Stadium in Cork.

Dr. ten Tusscher said that without a doubt the proposed incinerator would effect the population of Cork Harbour in the light of his findings of what has happened world wide.

Dr. ten Tusscher drew the attention of An Bord Pleanala to the many accidents that have occurred world-wide that have involved substances such as dioxins, PCB's and furans, and their recorded health effects.  He highlighted the affect of these pollutants on unborn babies and breastfed children who get a background dose approximately 25 times that of adults.

• Two Asian incidents where such contaminants were found in rice oil gave rise to negative behavioral effects on children of mothers who had consumed the oil. Those children were more apathetic, had a high mortality rate, suffered from a high incidence of pneumonia and respiratory diseases, and had diminished IQ levels.

• Similarily in Seveso in Italy and Zeeburg in The Netherlands, severe impacts on children's health and behavior have been recorded.  After the Seveso accident the babies born were almost exclusively girls, indicating hormone disruption in the foetus.  Other health effects in Seveso mirrored those of the Asian rice incident.  Children in Seveso also recorded a high level of damage to the liver, one of the most vital organs of the body.

Also speaking today, David Stanton TD told the hearing that there was no need for a National Toxic Waste Incinerator.  The companies in the Harbour area are already dealing responsibly with the 60% waste being produced here. They are striving to reduce and minimize waste production in line with the principles of the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan.  The arrival of a large toxic waste incinerator would negate this progress towards clean production.  Mr Stanton also said that this proposal is totally at variance with the County Development Plan and he called on An Bord Pleanala to refuse permission.

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For further information contact:
Linda Fitzpatrick, CHASE PRO   Tel: 021 4374506  Mobile: 087 7410849
Mary O’Leary, Chairperson, CHASE    Tel: 021 4811952  Mobile: 086 8177737
Natasha Harty, On the Ground at Hearing Mobile: 087 1213764