ANTI dump campaigners in Meath may run a candidate in the general election unless the county council abandons proposals for a landfill site at Kentstown, adjacent to a national school.
This follows the failure of an appeal by three local landowners against a District Court decision permitting the council to conduct tests on 250 acres of land to determine its suitability for dumping.
The landowners, who were awarded costs, got a standing ovation for their "valiant" legal battle at the first annual general meeting of the Kentstown Seneschalstown Anti Dump Group.
Kentstown is about five miles from Navan, off the Dublin Slane road. The landfill site for Co Meath, at Basketstown, near Summerhill, should reach its full capacity in about two years.
Mr Michael Fitzpatrick, administrative officer, said Kentstown was one of four locations being investigated by the county council for a landfill site to dispose of Meath's waste output of 53,000 tonnes annually.
The others are at Red Bog and Skreen, near Dunshaughlin, and at Walkinstown, north of Navan. M C O'Sullivan, consultant engineers, is conducting all site investigation work and wilt report back shortly.
Depending on its recommendation, an environmental impact statement would be prepared for the chosen site as part of the public consultation process. It would also need a licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Although we are looking for a site of over 200 acres, the actual area of the landfill would be something of the order of 50 acres, of which only two to three acres would be open at any time," Mr Fitzpatrick said.
But parents in Kentstown are concerned about the impact on their children's health and have threatened to transfer children to other schools if it goes ahead.
At a recent protest rally, the chairman of the anti dump campaign, Mr Fergal O'Byrne, said the community would continue to fight to protect itself, the school and teachers' jobs.
He said the campaign had raised awareness of the waste issue. Residents had shown they could recycle and reduce waste, while the children were recycling aluminium cans.
Mr O'Byrne called on Meath County Council to consider alternatives to landfill, such as a scheme in Perugia, Italy, where there is a system of wet and dry separation of all domestic refuse.
According to Mr Gerry Kinsella of the anti dump campaign, all of Pegia's dry waste is recovered while wet waste is turned into compost. This was an "exciting alternative" to landfill.
The group is lobbying for support among prospective Dail candidates from the main political parties. But the possibility of running an alternative environmental candidate" is also being investigated.
