Gardaí at the Cavan Hill site two years ago
More than 500 tonnes of hazardous waste was dumped at a quarry in north Louth following an illegal diesel washing operation, according to RTÉ.
The amount of toxic sludge discovered at the site is more than 100 times greater than the average sized recovery of hazardous diesel residue which is typically left behind by illegal diesel washing operations, according to the local authority.
The council has advertised for contractors to clean up the dump, which includes soil treatment and remediation, indicating that some or all the toxic sludge was buried.
The local authority has declined to identify the site on the basis that issues relating to the incident were “currently under investigation by the Director of Public Prosecutions”.
However, RTÉ says it understands that the site is at Cavan Hill in Knockbridge.
The council discovered the illegal dump at Cavan Hill two years ago in a high-profile operation. However, details of the amount of hazardous waste on the site have only now emerged.
The council discovered around 600 tonnes in 2012, a spokesman told RTÉ.
Most toxic diesel residue is not buried and most discoveries relate to the roadside dumping of IBC’s (Intermediate Bulk Containers) – each containing around 1,000 litres of toxic sludge.
Each incident of dumping varies from 1,000 litres to 40,000 litres.
The recent average dumping have been in the order of 4,000 litres per incident, the council spokesman said.
Because of its proximity to the border region, Louth County Council experiences a disproportionate problem with dumped diesel residue than other counties in the republic, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA said it did not have specific figures on the range or size of toxic sludge finds arising from illegal diesel laundering – making it difficult to place the discovery at Cavan Hill in a broader national context.
In addition to the 500 tonnes of toxic sludge there is another 1,100 of unauthorised infill material on the site – believed to be a mixture of building material and rubbish – which the council said needs to be cleared away.
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’s office declined to comment.
Source: Details emerge of hazardous waste dump in Louth (RTÉ News)
