asked the Minister for the Marine arising from a reply by the Minister for the Environment to Parliamentary Question No. 46 of 8 June 1988 if he will have investigated the content of the materials dumped at the location in question; if he will give details of the location involved; the company who are involved in this dumping; whether it is an off-shore company of an Irish company; if he will give details of the licence granted to this company; and whether it is his intention to grant any additional such licences in the future.
Written Answers. - Dumping of Waste.
73.
At present two companies have been granted permits by me under the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981 to dump industrial wastes off the south coast. The companies involved are Pfizer Chemical Corporation of Ringaskiddy, County Cork and Irish Refining plc of Whitegate, Midleton, County Cork.
The approved dump sites for the material dumped by both companies is the sea area bounded by the following coordinates:
|
51º37'N |
08º 17' N |
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51º 37'N |
08º 08' W |
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51º 34'N |
08º 17' W |
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51º 34' N |
08º 08' W |
The material which Pfizer is authorised to dump comprises waste derived from the manufacture (by fermentation, recovery, refining and/or synthesis) of organic chemicals. The annual volume authorised is 1.3 million tonnes.
The permit includes provisions on the method of operation of the dumping vessels to achieve maximum dilution, parameters for the waste itself and provisions on monitoring both of the waste and of the dumping operations.
The material which Irish Refining plc. are authorised to dump comprises dilute contaminated spent caustic soda arising from petrol refining processes. This is a regular operation carried out approximately every 18-24 months and the volume authorised at present is 1,300 tonnes. The permit includes similar provisions to the Pfizer Chemical Corporation permit.
I am satisfied with the results of monitoring to date on the wastes involved. Further monitoring will be carried out as required. It is not the practice to provide more detailed information on the content of the permits granted to Pfizer and Irish Refining Plc.
I will continue to deal with all applications for dumping permits on the merits on a case by case basis.