The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has turned down a proposal by Roadstone to build a landfill to deal with more than 50,000 tonnes of waste illegally dumped on its lands in Co Wicklow.
Instead the EPA has ordered the CRH subsidiary to remove the waste from the site near Blessington for "safe disposal in authorised facilities".
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche
Roadstone has estimated more than 50,000 tonnes of waste were dumped illegally on its 600-acre site without its knowledge or consent.
However, the director of the EPA, Dr Mary Kelly, told an Oireachtas committee last year that there may be up to three times that tonnage of waste on site.
The Roadstone dumps were among of a number of large-scale illegal dumps uncovered in Co Wicklow in 2001. A landfill would have cost Roadstone several million euro, but the option was thought to be cheaper than digging up the waste and removing it to a licensed dump.
The EPA said today an independent technical expert would have to oversee the programme to clean up the site and that this person would report directly to the agency.
"The remediation programme will eliminate the environmental risks associated with this site and provide a high level of protection of the environment and public health," the EPA said.
"On completion of the programme, there will be no residual environmental issues of any significance associated with the site or its environs as a result of the historical illegal waste activities.
"The EPA is satisfied that the decision offers the best solution to the problems posed by the illegally dumped waste, and addresses the concerns of the local community and others".
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche, whose constituency is Wicklow, welcomed the EPA decision.
He said in a statement: "I am particularly happy this morning for the local residents who have been greatly concerned about the environmental and health risks of this illegal landfill since it was discovered."
Labour TD for Wicklow Liz McManus also welcomed the decision: "The proposal from Roadstone that would essentially have involved leaving the material in the ground was simply unacceptable, particularly as we still do not know the full extent of the dumping involved."
She said landowners who allowed their land to be used for illegal dumping should be subject to the "full rigours of the law and criminal prosecutions where appropriate".
Billy Timmins, of Fine Gael said it was important that all the waste is removed from the site.
"I am now calling on the EPA to move quickly on another case, and to give a similar recommendation in relation to the site at Whitestown, Stratford on Slaney," he added.
Green Party environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe said it was "good to see that common sense has prevailed. . . . It would have been completely unacceptable for a dump to be constructed upstream from Dublin's water supply.
He added: "There is are still questions which Roadstone has to answer. How they were unaware that such a huge dump was on their lands without their knowledge?"
