AN INCINERATOR currently under construction at Carranstown, near Duleek, Co Meath, may now be allowed to increase its capacity by one-third to burn 200,000 tonnes of municipal waste per year.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday announced details of a proposed decision to issue a revised waste management licence to Indaver Ireland for its incinerator.
The proposed licence decision, which is subject to a 28-day public consultation period before it is finally approved, would allow Indaver to incinerate 200,000 tonnes of waste rather than a maximum of 150,000 tonnes under its current licence, granted in 2005.
“Consistent with existing incinerator licences in Ireland, the proposed decision has stringent conditions attached for the management, operation, control and monitoring of the proposed facility,” the agency said in a statement.
“The conditions meet the highest standards set by the EU incineration of waste directive,” it added. “The EPA is satisfied that operation of the facility, in accordance with the conditions of the licence, will not endanger human health or harm the environment.”
Conditions imposed by the proposed licence decision include a five-stage abatement process for waste gases; stringent management, monitoring and reporting requirements and a shutdown of the incinerator in the event of a breakdown.
They also include a specific limit on the emission of dioxins of 0.1 nanograms per cubic metre (0.0000000001g per cubic metre) as well as limits on heavy metals and acidifying gases in line with the EU waste incineration directive.
“The EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement will monitor and enforce these conditions through a comprehensive and ongoing programme of environmental audits, unannounced site visits and systematic checks on emissions,” the agency said.
There now follows a 28-day public consultation period in which objections or requests for oral hearings can be lodged with the EPA.
“All objections and submissions on objections will be carefully considered before the EPA makes a final decision,” it said.