By Christy Parker

Youghal Town Council is to seek EPA monitoring (again) at sludge treatment plant AVR Environmental Solutions, Foxhole, after allegations that obnoxious odours are emanating from the plant were aired at September’s Town Council meeting.

The meeting also heard that waste acceptance by the adjacent landfill at Foxhole would was to be reduced for a term before that facility closes in approximately 15 months.

Cllr Michael Beecher said he was “convinced” that odours have been permeating from two sources in Foxhole, aka the landfill and AVR, sludge treatment plant. The councillor described “a sickening, controlled release on Sunday morning” and frequently on Monday mornings too.

Mayor Olly Casey concurred that “any Monday morning when there is a northerly breeze, the same, distinct odour” is determinable. Cllr Mary Linehan Foley concurred but wondered if the ‘invariable’ smell that has long been attributed to the landfill is actually or equally traceable to AVR. She feared that monitoring would be pointless if not coinciding with the precise time of the emissions

Cllr Barbara Murray recalled that both the landfill and AVR had been monitored earlier this year. Cork Council had been found non-compliant and responded accordingly. The AVR report had not been received, she noted. An AVR spokesperson could not be contacted to respond to the latest concerns. Less landfill

Meanwhile Town Manager Patricia Power informed the meeting of wind of change blowing across the future of the County Council’s Foxhole landfill. It is envisaged, she said, that larger customers using the Youghal facility will transfer waste deliveries to the Kinsale Road landfill, from October ’08 to June ’09. Thereafter, they will recommence deliveries to Youghal, until December 2009, at which point Foxhole is expected to close. Waste processing will then transfer to Bottle Hill, Cork.

The manager also explained that a most recent upsurge of odours and complaints from the landfill was due to fermenting sugar beet, greatly exasperated by bad weather adversely affecting machine operations to treat it.

Youghal Town and County Cllr Barbara Murray says she received an “exceptional number of complaints” on the matter and “welcomes the downscale operations from the end of September. However,” she adds, “complaints relating to foul odours from the Youghal landfill site should continue to be reported to the site office, on 024-91084 where they will be logged and fully investigated,” she adds.