Vol. 370 No. 6
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is satisfied that appropriate safety measures are being taken with asbestos waste which is being stored pending a decision on a site for a permanent disposal facility; where the temporary storage facilities are located; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement in relation to the disposal of toxic waste in Ireland; if he is aware that at least 5,000 tonnes of the estimated 20,000 tonnes of toxic waste generated in Ireland cannot be accounted for, according to a statement (details supplied); and if he will comment on the implication that there may be widespread disposal of such waste illegally at uncontrolled sites around this country.
35.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has yet taken a decision on methods to safely dispose of asbestos and other hazardous wastes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 29 and 35 together.
Responsibility for all aspects of toxic and dangerous waste disposal rests with the local authorities and my main role in this area lies in the provision of the appropriate framework of legislation and regulations for the authorities in the discharge of their functions in relation to waste. With regard to the disposal of hazardous wastes generally, I would refer to Deputy Boland's reply to a number of questions on the subject on 3 October last.
Asbestos waste in dust and fibre form is one of the 27 listed categories of toxic and dangerous waste which are subject to control under the European Communities (Toxic and Dangerous Waste) Regulations, 1982. The county councils, county borough corporations and Dún Laoghaire Corporation are responsible under the regulations for the planning, organisation and supervision of toxic and dangerous waste disposal operations in their areas, as well as for the authorisation of storage, treatment and deposit of such wastes. They are obliged to prepare special waste plans designed to ensure that toxic and dangerous waste is disposed of without endangering human health or harming the environment.
The necessity to make arrangements for the landfill disposal of asbestos waste has been emphasised to local authorities by my Department on several occasions. The need for such facilities has become acute because of the prohibition on the export of such waste to the UK. I am not aware of the existence of any problem regarding the disposal of asbestos waste outside the Dublin area where, I understand, quantities of asbestos waste are being stored temporarily because proper facilities for the disposal of this waste have not been provided.
Pending the completion of special waste plans by all the local authorities concerned, precise information on the quantities of toxic wastes arising in this country and of the amounts being landfilled is not available. However, the indications are that nearly 70 per cent of the wastes are incinerated or recovered by producers and that most of the balance is exported for incineration or recovery, leaving only a small percentage to be landfilled either here or abroad. There is no evidence in my Department to suggest that large-scale indiscriminate dumping of toxic waste is taking place around the country.
The Minister has not replied appropriately to Question No. 3 which deals specifically with asbestos waste which is stored, pending a decision on a permanent site and a permanent disposal facility. The Minister did not refer to the temporary disposal of asbestos waste. I understand there are a number of sites where it is stored temporarily. I asked in the question that these be listed, where it is held, in what manner it is held and how safe it is. The only information at our disposal is a report published in February which said that 20 tonnes of asbestos waste was being stored at the docks by Cape (Ireland) Limited. Can the Minister give some further information in regard to the temporary storage of asbestos waste?
Information from Dublin authorities suggests that asbestos waste is being stored at particular locations in Dublin docks and at various other points throughout the country, pending resolution of the difficulty I referred to in the reply. Local authorities know exactly their position and what they should be doing in that regard. They have been circularised on this matter twice in recent years.
Can the Minister give the locations where it is temporarily stored?
It is being stored in areas of Dublin docks, the Clondalkin area, the Dartry area and at a site in south county Dublin.
Is it possible for me to find out precisely where asbestos waste is being temporarily stored? For instance, the Minister mentioned Clondalkin. I would also like to know the other areas.
That question could be put to the local authorities concerned. I am sure they would handle it. I do not have the site locations; I only have the general areas.
What is the manner in which it is being stored?
It is only a temporary measure and is safely contained. It is not a long term solution.
Safely contained in plastic containers?
In the short term it is safely contained. It is not the ideal long term solution.
Can the Minister tell me——
There are other questions to be answered.
This is a very important question.
So is Deputy Keating's question and Deputy Ray Burke's question. I am calling Deputy Michael Keating.
I want to find out about the safety of——
I may come back to the Deputy. I am calling Deputy Keating.
I ask the Minister to respond to the specific question relating to the allegation in a book, some details of which I have forwarded to her, that about a quarter of the estimated 20,000 tonnes — 5,000 tonnes — of toxic waste generated in this country not alone does not appear to be in temporary storage but cannot be accounted for. I ask her to comment on the clear inference that it is being wantonly dumped all over the country.
The questions should be short.
I reiterate what I said to the Deputy in answering the original question. There is no evidence in the Department of the Environment to suggest that large scale indiscriminate dumping or disposal of toxic waste is taking place.
Can I ask the Minister——
I am calling Deputy Ray Burke. I may come back to the Deputy.
May I ask the Minister——
You may not, Deputy. Deputies may not monopolise Question Time.
On a point of order, I do not begrudge anyone asking five or six questions. I am in genuine pursuit of information and I am not allowed to ask a second question.
I am calling Deputy Burke.
I ask the Minister if she has read the information which I gave her?
I have read it.
There is plenty of evidence in that.
The Department of the Environment insist there is no evidence to support the point made by the Deputy.
They are wrong.
The Department do not accept that.
The Minister accepts there is no formal disposal facility available for asbestos and other hazardous waste. The Government have been in office for four years. In October last the Minister promised a national policy with regard to the disposal of hazardous and asbestos waste. Has any action been taken since then?
Has what been taken?
Action — it is a word Deputies on that side of the House are not familiar with. Has any action been taken since then?
I did not hear what the Deputy said. Action is being taken at the moment. The matter is under very serious and active consideration by the Minister and the Department of the Environment and we hope to have more precise information on it as soon as possible.
The Minister insinuated that all the asbestos is being unofficially and illegally stored in the Dublin region but I put it to her that the main contractors for the disposal are sited in the Dublin region. Is the Minister aware that those contractors are transporting asbestos from country areas and storing it in the Dublin area? Will the Minister agree that that is very unfair to the people who live in the Dublin area, one-third of the population of the country? Will the Minister agree that there should be a network of safe disposal sites around the country?
The Deputy should not make a speech.
I agree that there should be safe disposal sites wherever the demand warrants it and I am confident that that will be the case shortly.
I am trying to elicit information in regard to temporary dumps and I should like to get that information from the Minister. In what way is asbestos waste being made safe in the temporary dumps? Has the Minister considered the danger of fire in those dumps and the effect of that on the population?
The surveillance of the temporary dumps is being handled by the local authorities concerned, in the main by Dublin County Council. The advice of the Department of the Environment on asbestos waste disposal was set out in a circular dated 30 July 1982 at the direction of the then Minister, Deputy Burke. That circular requested local authorities to set up co-disposal facilities for industrial waste and advised that land filling was an acceptable and recognised method of disposing of asbestos waste, subject to certain specified requirements. We repeated that advice in a circular issued in 1985. The position in regard to temporary dumping is being monitored by the local authorities concerned. The Deputy can obtain exact details of the location of the temporary dumps if he questions the local authorities. I regret I am not in a position to give the Deputy the locations of those dumps.
Will the Minister give specific details of how local authorities should look after temporary storage?
It is being stored safely in the short term.
The Minister will be aware that some of this waste is being stored in the city area of Dublin. Will the Minister accept that the storage or dumping of asbestos in the greater Dublin area is an inappropriate step? Will the Minister agree that the best way to deal with this product is to have a number of sites around the country where the population is not so great?
There is no evidence of dumping but I agree that in the long term storage in an area such as greater Dublin is not ideal. Indeed, a suitable location will have to be identified and used for the long term storage of this waste.
