Youghal Chamber of Tourism and Commerce is to appeal to An Bord Pleanala against Cork County Council’s decision to allow a sludge treatment plant Eras Eco to process hazardous waste. The company, based on a 3.5 acre site at Foxhole, recently acquired planning permission for ‘a €10m upgrade to the existing sludge drying process’ to enable it accept  hazardous wastes.

The planning permission also allows ‘for parking for vehicles/tankers/trailer during the sample testing period of hazardous waste contents prior to dispatching for treatment’ and ‘the erection/construction of above ground anaerobic digested tanks for the treatment of sludge and the production of methane gas, which will be utilised to produce electricity for use on site.’  The Integrated Waste Management Facility development will treat a maximum of 95,000 tonnes of waste annually, a reduction of 15,000 tonnes on the present allowance.

Chamber of Commerce director Michael Farrell claims the planning conditions will allow residue to bypass the council’s waste water treatment facility and “be distributed directly into the Blackwater.” He says “what will be transported into town” will jeopardise economic and tourism development. “We are trying to promote tourism and create employment and having this, especially adjacent to a business park, is certainly not conducive to thee aims.”

A spokesman for Eras Eco says the company “expected the appeal.” He says the Chamber “took a closed view and made it very clear they don’t want us in town,” during a failed negotiation attempt. Denying the expansion will impact negatively on Youghal, the spokesman says AquaCritox, an advanced oxidation technology, will provides 100% destruction of waste and convert it into clean water, without generating odours, or harmful emissions. Residues, he says, will be fed into the sewer system and then through a new council waste water treatment facility awaiting development.  The company will be amongst the first to employ the system, which was the subject of glowing tribute in an Irish Times report last February by Barry McCall.

Eras Eco currently employs six full-time and four part/time staff and claims the expanded operation will create ten more jobs along with a further 20 in construction. The plant commenced operations as AVR Environmental Solutions in 2006. It was acquired by Eras Eco in 2009 and has licence to process up to 110,000 tons of non-hazardous waste and industrial sludge from waste water treatment plants, says the company. Eras Eco is registered under Ormonde Organics, Portlaw.

Youghal Town and County Councillor Barbara Murray says the expansion will compromise Youghal’s image as “a family-orientated, holiday resort,” a standing augmented by three blue flag beaches. The town has suffered a decade of chronic job losses and the councillor sees dark irony in a seaside town “being expected to accept hazardous waste outside while we’re neither an industrial centre nor on the IDA’s radar. Why not treat the waste at source?,” she asks.

 

Cllr. Linehan Foley, speaking at the february meeting of the Youghal Town Council, said the new €3 gate fee at the civic amenity site was unfair and counter productive. She said it would exacerbate illegal dumping, whereas the original concept of free recycling was to educate and encourage responsible waste disposal. Report Christy Parker

The Town Manager said Cork County Council provides both residential and recycling services. She said the costs are extremely high, with the Council providing facilities for the authority’s customers and non-customers. She highlighted glass disposal as one example of this. Recyclable material had the to be taken away, which incurred further cost. Cllr Hennessy said a flat fee should replace the ‘pay-by-weight’ system. She said an annual €400 or six-monthly €200 charge would encourage people to avail of Cork County Council’s services instead of private firms. Ms Power said the County Council will soon undertake a comprehensive review of waste management policy and meanwhile is offering an introductory of €250 per annum for new customers. When told by Cllr Hennessy that this isn’t very wel advertised, she said leaflets will be published. ‘We are the owners of our own rubbish and Read more

Youghal Town Council is to seek a delegate meeting with Cork County Council in regard to the ongoing obnoxious odours emanating from the county authority’s landfill site at Foxhole. February’s council meeting heard that despite a 90% reduction in waste intake since late last year, the obnoxious smells continue to plague the town.
Report Christy Parker/Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

An ambience of threadbare patience permeated the sitting with councillors vented their anger behalf of their constituents. Cllr Michael Beecher was particularly vociferous as he said “people are getting physically sick” from the stench that regularly wafts into their homes. The EPA must also be getting sick, he said, from the daily complaints being registered by both he and the townspeople. He said, caustically, it was “lovely” to hear a caller on a Cork radio station advising motorists to “wear a mask” when approaching Youghal.
Cllr Barbara Murray believed much of the waste is collected after up to two weeks stagnating and should properly be brought to an aerobic digester. She said it “is frightening” that the odours persist even though the site is currently processing only 10% of the volume previously accepted. Read more