Vol. 536 No. 1
118 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to reports that effluent from a UK foot and mouth mass burial ground is being dumped in the Irish Sea; if there have been inquiries to ensure that there is no threat to the health and safety of people and livestock here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13374/01]
120 Ms Clune asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to reports that effluent from a foot and mouth disease mass burial site in Cumbria, United Kingdom, is being discharged into the Irish Sea; the steps he has taken to investigate the impact of such a discharge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13473/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 120 together.
My Department contacted the relevant UK authorities and was advised that leachate from the Great Orton mass burial site in Cumbria is collected and treated with lime to destroy any foot and mouth disease virus which might be present. The leachate is then tankered to Workington sewage treatment plant and admixed with domestic sewage which receives primary treatment before discharge to the marine environment via a long sea outfall – approximately 2 kilometres. The addition of the leachate is not considered to make a significant difference to the environmental impact arising from such a discharge. UK authorities indicate that this disposal route represents the least-risk option and that survey work in the area of the outfall has not detected any significant change in measured parameters.
