EPA grants licences for controversial incinerators

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued licences for the first two commercial waste incinerators in the State.

The licences provide for the development of waste incineration facilities by Indaver (Ireland) at Duleek, Co Meath, and Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. Indaver will be responsible for the operation and management of both facilities.

The EPA said the licences provide for incineration with energy recovery of non-hazardous waste in Duleek and incineration with energy recovery of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste in Ringaskiddy.

The Ringaskiddy site will cost €90 million, while Duleek is expected to cost €85 million.

According to the EPA its board of directors considered the objections made in relation to the licences but the agency said it was "satisfied that operation of the facilities in accordance with the conditions of the licence will not endanger human health or harm the environment in the vicinity of the facilities or over a wider area".

In a statement the agency said the conditions attached to the licences stated:

* All emissions limits comply with the EU Directive on Incineration of Waste.

* Monitoring data, including real-time data, is made available on the Internet.

* The licensee will undertake extensive communication with communities in proximity to the facilities.

* The construction of each facility is closely supervised and, once constructed, independently certified as fit-for-purpose.

* Senior management will have appropriate expertise in managing incinerators.

Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, highlighted the stringent conditions the EPA had attached to the licences.

"As I have stressed on many occasions it is self evident that the agency applies the most rigorous standards, which meet or exceed international best practice, to environmentally sensitive projects," he said.

Activists and political parties however reacted angrily to the news.