AN ASSESSMENT by consultants of the environmental health and safety of Naval Service headquarters at Haulbowline in Cork Harbour has found there is no unacceptable risk to naval personnel from contaminants from the neighbouring former Irish Steel plant.
The report by RPS Environmental Consultants was welcomed by Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea, who commissioned it in July after contractors cleaning the site reported more contaminants than had been expected.
The assessment involved taking soil samples from 40 sites on the naval base lands including the naval dockyard, the football pitch and the naval base itself, along with air quality monitoring.
The study found that for the majority of the site, including the football pitch which had been declared out of bounds by the Department of Defence last July, the risk to humans from contaminants in soils was considered to be acceptable, while at one location the risk was deemed tolerable.
The consultants found that environmental assessment of ambient dust indicated that the Haulbowline Naval Base can be considered a "low-risk environment" and "a safe working environment".
"The results have concluded that based on the monitoring carried out to date, there is no unacceptable risk to human health from airborne dust, vapours or emissions," the report stated.
A separate health and safety assessment on the former Irish Steel plant commissioned by Minister for the Environment John Gormley and carried out by consultants White Young Green is due to be published later this month.