CHASE PRESS RELEASE - 7 Nov 2007

CHASE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF EPA INCINERATOR NEED
Ireland Does Not Need Large Centralised Incinerator - Says Leading Hazardous Waste Prevention Expert
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CHASE is highly critical of the latest claims by the EPA that we must build hazardous waste incineration facilities in order to become self sufficient in our waste management (Proposed National Hazardous Waste Management Plan). CHASE also questions the role of the EPA in issuing such a political statement, particularly given that one of the EPA Directors was previously employed by Indaver as the Project Manager responsible for the proposed Cork and Meath incinerators.

“The EPA has only just begun to implement the existing National Waste Management Plan (2001), achieving an 8% reduction of waste in one year. This is only the beginning of what can be achieved by implementing prevention and product redesign,” said a CHASE spokesperson.

“The EPA focus on incineration (which falls into the disposal category) is highly questionable and completely contrary to EU recommendations. The EPA must look at alternatives more suitable to types and volumes of waste produced here.”

Hazardous Waste Prevention Expert Dr Ken Guiser of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), Massachusetts, US, said that Ireland's volumes are too small to merit building a large commercial incinerator. Dr Guiser said “Ireland already has some existing private incinerator capacity and this could be used AFTER other options are fully exploited, until those options are truly comprehensive. I see no need for a large, centralized incinerator. The hazardous waste volumes are simply too small and, with proper policy, should get much smaller.”

CHASE will be making detailed submissions to the proposed Plan, and is asking the Environment Minister John Gormley to do a full projected analysis of hazardous waste available after implementation of prevention programmes and alternative treatments, similar to that carried out recently for municipal waste.

ENDS
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For further information:
Mary O’Leary, 086 8177737 021 4811952
Mary Hurley, 086 8162448 021 4813070
Linda FitzPatrick, 021 4374506 087 7410849