Greens to meet EU officials on incineration

Green Party representatives will meet with officials from the EU Environment Commissioner's office tomorrow to make a formal …

Green Party representatives will meet with officials from the EU Environment Commissioner's office tomorrow to make a formal complaint about the Government's incineration policy.

EU law enforcement is a slow process and winning in the European Court will be a hollow victory if the incinerators have been built in the meantime
Green MEP Patricia McKenna

The party published its No to Incinerationpolicy document today at an event in Ringsend in Dublin, where there are plans to build an incinerator.

Local Green Party TD Mr John Gormley, the MEP Ms Patricia McKenna and a number of people fighting the forthcoming local elections on an anti-incineration ticket were present.

Ms McKenna said the danger was that Ringsend would become "a toxic dustbin for the entire country" when the incinerator is built.

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Mr Gormley said thousands of tonnes of rubbish would be transported into Ringsend to "feed" the proposed incinerator.  "This will generate huge traffic problems as well as releasing potential harmful airborne dioxins into the surrounding area," he said.

Incinerators are also planned in Co Meath and Co Cork, although they face significant local opposition.

The Green Party said it believed the Government's plans to pursue incineration "at all costs" was wrong and that the way in which planning approvals for incinerators had been granted to date was contrary to EU law.

The party's delegation will meet officials from EU Commissioner Ms Margot Wallstrom's office tomorrow.

"However, EU law enforcement is a slow process and winning in the European Court will be a hollow victory if the incinerators have been built in the meantime," Ms McKenna said.