Discrepancies in incinerator dioxin figures questioned

Discrepancies in figures on dioxin levels supplied by Indaver in support of its planning application for a €160 million waste incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour call into question the veracity of documentation supplied by the company, a planning inspector has said.

An Bord Pleanála senior inspector Derek Daly, who is chairing the oral hearing into Indaver's application for the 240,000 tonne incinerator, said he was very concerned after it emerged there were discrepancies in some of the data being supplied by the company.

The issue came to light when Dr Gordon Reid of the Green Party questioned the dioxin figures submitted by Indaver in its Environmental Impact Statement as part of its planning application for the facility under the Planning and Development Strategic Infrastructure Act.

Dr Reid pointed out that dioxin tables which purport to be modelled using 2015 soil samples from the vicinity of the proposed incinerator at Ringaskidddy are identical to dioxin tables submitted with Indaver’s 2008 planning application for an incinerator at the same site.

Dr Reid also pointed out that the dioxin tables were the same as those submitted by a rendering company, College Proteins, in its 2008 in its planning application for an incinerator at Nobber in Co Meath.

‘Veracity’

Mr Daly adjourned the hearing for a short period after the matter was brought to his attention by Dr Reid but he decided to proceed with the hearing after giving careful consideration to the issue although observed that it did “bring the veracity of documentation into question”.

Mr Daly said he would report the matter to An Bord Pleanála and it could request further information from Indaver. He believed it was important to hear all the remaining evidence rather than adjourn the hearing on foot of the discrepancy.

A spokeswoman for Indaver told The Irish Times the dioxin level report had been carried out by Dr Fergal Callaghan of AWN Consulting and the company was satisfied the dioxin levels submitted were modelled on soil samples taken from Ringaskidddy in 2015.

Indaver was attempting to seek clarification from Dr Callaghan on the accompanying dioxin level tables in the appendix which Dr Reid had noted were the same as those submitted in 2008.

The hearing concluded on Tuesday and An Bord Pleanála is due to give its decision on July 12th.