GROWING RESISTANCE TO INCINERATOR CONTINUES
R n
Kevin McSharry
enewed efforts to monitor, object or oppose the Poolbeg incinerator have begun to spring to life on a number of fronts. Local groups and political parties have made various efforts to challenge the incinerator amidst fears about its emissions or health effects in general. During these processes, there have been accidents and problems at the incinerator that have revealed less than optimal operational procedures at best, and possible toxic releases at worst. In light that these were promised never to be at risk of happening during the planning process, it is quite concerning that these have occurred at such an early stage in operations so far. A number of months ago, the Social Democrats began an online petition on Change.Org attempting to put pressure on the Minister for the Environment, the EPA and Dublin City Council (DCC) to force Dublin Waste to Energy (DWE) to have independent monitoring of their emissions and to have all data used to calculate the emissions made publically available. On June 7th at 10:45pm there was an “uncontrolled release” of lime at the DWE facility in Ringsend, otherwise known as
the Poolbeg Incinerator. Eleven workers at the plant were affected and taken to hospital, in their own cars according to managing director John Daly. In response to this and other issues surrounding the DWE facility in Poolbeg, a number of groups have developed to oppose Covanta. They cite a concern for public health and a lack of faith in Covanta due to previous incidents in North America as well
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as their perceived lack of transparency when issues do arise at their facilities. Three meeting were held over the past two months to voice these concerns, demand action and to gain support for protests against Covanta. People Before Profit held a meeting in Ringsend on June 19th in Clanna Gael, Ringsend, where they brought forward their proposals for dealing with what they saw as issues surrounding
the DWE facility. They proposed that a chemical engineer be tasked with examining the DWE facility. They asked that a “sample group of residents from the local area” be examined in an effort to see what effect the incinerator will come to have on the area. They advocated that there be independent monitoring and freely available data from Covanta available to the community at large through their web-
IN THIS ISSUE…
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site for greater transparency regarding emissions. Finally, they are calling for a Health Impact Assessment, as has been advocated previously by Professor of epidemiology, Anthony Staines. On June 20th, a group of concerned parents from Sandymount, known as Parents Against The Incinerator, gathered on Sandymount Strand to listen to Professor Paul Connett speak. Professor Connett is a retired Professor Emeritus in Environmental Chemistry at St. Lawrence University, New York, and a vocal critic of incinerators. Before turning the microphone over to Professor Connett, Laura Fano, a member of Parents Against The Incinerator explained why the meeting had been held. Fano explained that parents were “concerned about the potential health impact” on the area. A particular concern of the parents’ group was how near the incinerator would be to the new location for the Shellybanks Educate Together school, which will be beside the strand. Fano was disheartened by “the general attitude of resignation” and the fact that she felt “the community in Ringsend had been bought” through Covanta’s Community Gain Fund. She wanted to send out a message to DWE that “people were watching. They are alert
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