BURNING of waste is not an alternative to fossil fuels and should not be considered.
That was the claim from Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan at this week’s EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) virtual oral hearing into the proposed determination of the licence granted to Irish Cement in October 2019.
Five days of statements and cross-examination were heard during the controversial online oral hearing relating to Irish Cement’s €10million plan to move from burning fossil fuels to alternative fuels at its Mungret plant.
Senator Gavan maintained that long-term solutions are needed for alternative energy sources, such as biogas, produced from organic material. He was also of the view that waste incineration does not make sense as an energy source.
“Irish Cement argue they need to use alternatives to imported fossil fuels. We need to reduce our emissions, and use indigenous energy sources, but waste should not be part of this alternative. There are other options that must be considered,” he told the hearing.
Gavan’s party colleague Deputy Maurice Quinlivan raised concerns about Irish Cement’s previous breaches of licences in relation to industrial emissions and asked how a company with such a record could be trusted to adhere to environmental guidelines regarding the burning of tyres.
“Many residents had asked me to raise the concerns they have regarding the proximity of the Irish Cement factory to local schools and play areas. An error in relation to the burning of such hazardous materials could be a disaster to this local population,” he suggested.
Fianna Fáil councillor and former Mayor of Limerick Cllr James Collins warned of the risk to health, environment and reputation that will follow if incineration is licensed.
“You cannot have a Smart Limerick City while giving a licence to incinerate in the fastest expanding side of that city,” he declared.
Limerick Fine Gael TD Kieran O’Donnell asked the Chairman of the oral hearing, Patrick Byrne to request that EPA inspector Breen Higgins or a representative of its board to attend the hearing.
“The Chairman has written back to me today denying my request,” Deputy O’Donnell told the Limerick Post this Tuesday.
“This response is not acceptable and I re-iterated my request for the EPA to attend. Indeed, I would further request that whatever additional oral hearing days are required to facilitate this taking place should be arranged by the Chairman.
“In my submission, I expressed my continuing serious concerns stemming from the inconsistencies in the EPA’s recommended determination in September 2019 on a number of matters which undermines any confidence one might have that Irish Cement can ensure that the burning of alternative fuels proposal will be in any way safe on public health grounds,” he said.
Raheen resident Mary Hammill, a leading campaigner with the Limerick Against Pollution (LAP) group, expressed the view that far more had been left unanswered than answered at the end of the five days.
“I feel that Limerick Against Pollution’s campaign has been entirely vindicated in the light of this hearing,” she said.
Speaking on the first day of the oral hearing, presentations from Irish Cement’s Communications Manager, Brian Gilmore explained how the replacement of fossil fuels with alternative fuels would cut their carbon emissions, and was supported by Government policy through the Climate Action Plan.
“Limerick is now the only cement factory in Ireland to be totally dependent on imported fossil fuels. So, in a very real sense, it is getting left behind.”