Refuse crisis feared after dump site rejected on safety grounds

DUBLIN city and county may be facing an incipient refuse disposal crisis after a decision by An Bord Pleanala to reject plans for the Republic's biggest privately run landfill site, near Mulhuddart.

National Toll Roads (NTR) which sought permission to develop the 350 acre site for disposing of municipal and non hazardous industrial waste expressed regret at the board's decision, made largely on aircraft safety grounds.

But a spokeswoman for Community and Business Against the Dump, which led a campaign on behalf of local residents and traders, said they were "delighted".

More significant opposition came from the Irish Aviation Authority, Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus and the Irish Air Line Pilots Association (IALPA), all of which had voiced concern that the dump would constitute a "major hazard" to air navigation and safety.

An Bord Pleanala agreed. It said the proposed development would increase significantly the risk of bird strike at Dublin Airport and its environs and would, therefore, endanger the safety of aircraft and the safe and efficient navigation thereof.

The board said a major landfill site located less than six kilometres west of Dublin Airport and directly under the flight path to its main runways had "the potential to increase the numbers of birds drawn into or across the active airspace" of the airport.

Capt Roger O'Shea, IALPA's president, said: "We are proud to have led the opposition from the aviation community to this proposal, which would have undermined the strenuous efforts of all the professionals in our industry to maintain safety at the highest possible level".

Fingal County Council had already refused planning permission for the development.

NTR maintained that its Mulhuddart landfill scheme was required to deal with the growing volume of waste being generated annually in the Dublin area, especially if the even more controversial dump proposed for Kill, Co Kildare, did not proceed.

This scheme, proposed by the four Dublin local authorities, was refused by Kildare County Council but granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanala.

This decision is the subject of a judicial review in the High Court.

Dunsink is finally being closed down, following a campaign by community activists in nearby Finglas. Ballyogan, near Carrickmines, has very little room left, while plans to expand Ballealy were rejected to protect the value of Rogerstown estuary as a bird sanctuary.