Dublin businesses are facing landfill charges more than three times the EU average because of delays in developing an incinerator at Poolbeg, according to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber's chief executive, Gina Quin, yesterday said businesses were dismayed at the lack of progress on the project and blamed "a lack of political leadership at the highest level" for the lengthy delays.
"The Poolbeg incinerator will not be operational until 2009 - several years behind schedule," she said. But other delays may arise during the planning process.
"As a result of this slow progress, Dublin businesses are forced to rely on the ever-decreasing supply of landfill. This has pushed up landfill charges to a level where landfill costs in South County Dublin are over three times the EU average."
She said landfill charges per tonne were €225 in South County Dublin, compared with €39 in Britain, €90 in Sweden and an average of €75 in the EU. "These costs are putting Irish business at a competitive disadvantage to other EU cities," Ms Quin said.
She made her comments as she launched the Dublin Chamber of Commerce's policy paper on thermal treatment in the Greater Dublin Area.
She said Dublin Chamber of Commerce did not believe that incineration alone was a solution to the waste problem, but the Poolbeg waste-to-energy plant would be a crucial element in the mix of waste management solutions.
"Thermal treatment will provide an alternative to landfill for non-recyclable waste and will reduce the costs of dealing with this waste for business."
She said a properly managed waste incinerator would pose no health risks to the local community.
The most progressive EU countries used high levels of thermal treatment, she added. "The Netherlands, which has one of the highest rates of recycling in Europe, operates 11 municipal incinerators, processing 100 per cent of residual household waste."
Dublin Chamber of Commerce urged the Government to make a priority of the development of the Poolbeg plant.
It also called on the Government to clarify the status of the Critical Infrastructure Bill which would shorten the planning stages of certain developments and has urged that the Poolbeg plant should fall within the Bill's remit.
The chamber of commerce also sought a comprehensive traffic-management plan for the area, in consultation with the local community.
If the incinerator went ahead as agreed, up to 200 trucks a day would be moving waste through an already congested road network, Ms Quin warned.
