This article is from page 16 of the 2006-10-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
CLARE County Council and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) look destined to lock horns once more over the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff Beg.
The local authority issued a strongly worded statement last week in which they claimed to be “baffled” by the EPA’s decision to issue two fresh non-compliance orders following an unannounced audit of the facility on August 23rd.
The EPA breaches relate to the amount of cover being used to cover the landfill cells in use as well as the final capping of the cells. The council has also revealed that it intends to appeal the findings, claiming an “assessment of its overall operation of the site would indicate that noncompliance orders should not have been issued.”
The EPA has given the local authority until this Friday, October 20, to respond to the non-compliance orders. It declined to comment on the matter until that time. However, a spokesperson from the EPA did confirm that as of yesterday, October 16, no response had been received from the council despite its release of the media statement.
“Clare County Council is somewhat perplexed at the non-compliance orders issued by the EPA considering that very significant improvement works have been undertaken at the site,” said Ger Dollard, Director of Services with Clare County Council.
“As the EPA has not indicated that any nuisance arose on the day of the audit, it is the council’s view that the existing cover has adequately fulfilled its purpose and a non-compliance finding is unjustified and not supported.”
Ballyduff Beg locals have reacted angrily to Mr Dollard’s comments, claiming that while there was no nuisance on that day, the council was in breach of the licence and that breaches on other days have led to problems with both smell and vermin.
“The council accepted the licence, were delighted to get it and said that they would comply with it. That is all we are asking for,” said local resident Perry Longe.
“If they did apply the 6 inches of covering each day, as the licence states, then there would never be a problem with smell. But it an ongoing problem, it was there this morning (Monday) and it was still there at half past three when I left the house.”
Aside from the two non-compliances, the EPA also noted 20 separate minor breaches during the August 23rd audit. The Ballyduff Beg facility was found to have breached its licence earlier this years for disturbing waste without first receiving permission from the EPA.