Local residents have lodged an objection against an organic waste company's application to spread waste sludge on the surface of a disused toxic mining pond in Silvermines, Co Tipperary.
The objection follows an application by Landfeeds Environmental Ltd, a company that specialises in organic waste management, for a permit to spread 4,900 tonnes of organic waste on parts of the old Silvermines tailings pond each year.
Landfeeds Environmental Ltd was asked by the mining company Mogul to undertake tests on the pond to determine whether organic wastes could be used to rehabilitate the site and reduce dust blown from the pond.
Under a clause in its licence, Mogul has obligations to rectify lands affected by its mining operations which ended in 1982.
Landfeeds Environmental Ltd could not be contacted for a comment on the proposed work.
In the past the 149-acre mining pond, known locally as the tailings pond, has dried out resulting in toxic dust laden with cadmium, lead and other carcinogenic and noxious materials being blown over the area.
In its submission for the waste permit, Landfeeds Environmental Ltd state that Mogul Ireland Ltd "approached them and asked that a test programme be undertaken on the Gortmore Tailings Management Facility \ to determine whether organic wastes would be suitable for the remediation of the \".
Landfeeds Environmental submitted an application "for a permit to spread a limited amount of organic waste on the tailings pond, that an appraisal of the suitability of the site and the waste material can be made".
The application by the waste company continues: "If the results of the test programme are positive, Landfeeds Environmental Ltd will apply to the Environmental Protection Agency for a licence to spread waste on an annual basis on the TMF as part of the on-going programme of remediation of the site until a self-sustaining cover of vegetation is established."
In its test phase, if granted a permit by North Tipperary County Council, Landfeeds Environmental Ltd will spread waste from the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, waste from waste-water treatment plants and waste from wood processing and the production of panels and furniture on the surface of the TMF.
In response a group of Silvermines residents, the Gortmore Tailings Management Facility Committee, lodged an objection to the application last Friday.
Westmeath-based environmental consultant, Mr Jack O'Sullivan, was instructed by the committee to object.
His submission states: "This waste permit application is being made at a time when a rehabilitation plan for the Silvermines area is under discussion and has yet to be agreed, and therefore a decision to grant a waste permit would be premature."
Mr O'Sullivan also argues in his submission that the application is in conflict with the SRK [Steffan, Robertson and Kirsten] report. That report, commissioned by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in May 2002, recommended a €5.2 million rehabilitation plan for the area.
The SRK report states that nothing should be done to disturb any of the old mining works, until such time as a plan is agreed for the rehabilitation of the area.
Mr O'Sullivan's objection asserts: "We urge the county council to refuse a waste permit for the proposed developments on the grounds that it could interfere with plans to rehabilitate the former mining area as a whole."
The objection also claims "sewage sludge, septic tank sludge and food-processing sludges" spread on the surface of the tailings pond "would almost certainly give rise to very noxious odours if their spreading is permitted".
It adds: "The spreading of meat and fish-processing wastes, as suggested in the application, will attract scavenging birds and other vermin to the site, and these could become a nuisance to surrounding farms."
The objectors complain there is inadequate information provided in the permit application.
They say there is no information on the duration of the proposed activity; no mention of the results of similar trials in other countries; no data on the effects of the additional nutrient run-off; no reasons given why it is necessary to conduct such large-scale tests, when it might be possible to obtain the same results using smaller plots; and inadequate details of how the sludges and other wastes would be transferred from road vehicles and spread on the pond.
In the coming week the Gortmore committee will lodge 3,000 to 4,000 signed objections to North Tipperary County Council. The chairman, Mr Michael Leamy, said: "These have been distributed in shops around Nenagh and we have done every house within a three-mile radius of the tailings pond and everybody has signed it. It is time for the politicians to hear what the local people are saying, this is not what they want."