Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2009
1004 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken to remove the hazardous waste on Haulbowline Island and clean up the island once this waste is removed; the cost of same; the budget provisions that have been provided by him for the future clean up work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30697/09]
View answer1005 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken since hazardous waste was identified on Haulbowline Island to assess the extent of the problem to protect the health of those living in the area and those working on the island; the cost of these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30698/09]
View answer1006 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to deal with the hazardous waste on Haulbowline Island; the budget provisions that have been provided by him for this work in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30699/09]
View answer1007 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to establish a working group to develop proposals for the Haulbowline site; when this working group will be established; the reason for a delay in establishing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30700/09]
View answer1008 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department requires a licence to hold hazardous waste on Haulbowline Island; if his Department holds such a licence; if such a licence has been applied for; if his Department has been in breach of any law or regulations by not having such a licence; if his Department faces any penalties for such a breach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30701/09]
View answer1009 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has carried out health screening for staff of his Department and contract staff who worked on Haulbowline Island and their families to confirm that their health has not been damaged by working, or close family members working, in close proximity to dangerous waste materials; if this screening will be carried out again in the future. [30703/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1004 to 1009, inclusive, together.
As previously advised, the Government has considered the position in relation to the former Irish Steel/Ispat site at Haulbowline noting the outcome of the site investigations, the requirement for various works and further monitoring recommended by the environmental consultants and the development issues, particularly technical constraints, site boundary issues, zoning issues and regulatory requirements, meriting early address.
The Government has decided that the Office of Public Works (OPW) will chair a working group to develop a structured and coherent approach to the further management and development of the site. The establishment of this group is a matter for the OPW, and I understand that arrangements to establish the group are underway. Future funding requirements are contingent on the determination as to the future use of the site.
From 2004 to 2009 my Department, had an interim role in the management of this legacy site in a manner which is consistent with good practice and minimisation of risk to human health and the environment. Accordingly, the Department arranged for the decontamination and demolition of the buildings on site and, post-demolition, arranged for the procurement of a contractor for site surface clearance, back filling of voids and the disposal of the remaining surface wastes to be undertaken.
Examples of waste types removed since 2004 include: licensed radioactive sources and low-level radioactive waste; over 10,000 tonnes of scrap metal; over 1,100 tonnes of hazardous dust vacuumed from the steelworks buildings before demolition; contaminated filter bags from the steelworks dust extraction system; various forms of asbestos removed from the steelworks buildings before demolition; refractory waste; transformer oil; electrical capacitors — PCB and non-PCB; sulphur hexafluoride gas from circuit breakers; assorted gas cylinders; battery acid; millscale; disturbed hazardous soils/sludges; hazardous liquid waste.
To date the State has expended c.€50 million on investigations, site works, disposal of waste material, testing and sampling, analysis, topographical and foreshore ecological surveys, project management, professional fees and security.
Following the uncovering by sub-contractors of Hammond Lane Metal Co. Ltd of a sub-surface hazardous sludge pit in summer 2008 my Department engaged consultants White Young Green to carry out an independent and rigorous assessment of site conditions, comprising three distinct modules:
1. assessing the quality of surface water, marine sediment and mussel bivalves in the vicinity;
2. assessment of any health or environmental risks posed by current site conditions; and
3. ambient air monitoring.
The consultants had available the advice of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Marine Institute and the Health and Safety Authority.
Ambient air monitoring was undertaken in accordance with relevant national and international occupational exposure limit values, finding that air quality complied with all relevant standards and guidelines, including in Cobh which was the main population centre that was monitored, and that there is no occupational risk to human health from airborne substances. Similarly, the assessment of water, sediment and mussel samples employed the relevant applicable screening criteria and found no identifiable risk to the residents of Cork Harbour.
In the case of assessing the health and environmental risks posed by potential contaminants in the waste material on the East Tip itself the screening was undertaken using human health generic assessment criteria which are derived from guidance issued in the UK. These criteria were considered most appropriate for the site, are conservative for on-site exposures for current land use, and did not suggest a risk to health of people on site undertaking normal activities or to those in the Cork Harbour area including the Naval Base.
The total amount spent on the site assessment was €394,948.61. This comprised all costs associated with environmental testing, analysis, monitoring and reporting in respect of assessing quality of surface water, marine sediment and mussel bivalves in the vicinity; assessment of any health or environmental risks posed by the site conditions and ambient air monitoring.
Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations it is the duty of each employer to ensure that health surveillance is made available for every employee, appropriate to the health and safety risks that may be incurred at the workplace. Significant hazards must be reported in this context to the Health and Safety Manager. Department staff wear the appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) when out on site. Where particular concerns arise in relation to possible exposure to health risks in the workplace, provision is made by the Department for appropriate screening to be carried out. The advice of the Chief Medical Officer would also be sought in this context.
In relation to the site at Haulbowline the comprehensive site investigations which were conducted in 2005 and 2008 by White Young Green concluded that while there is significant contamination of the site it posed no immediate threat to human health or the environment in the area.
In the context of the introduction of the licensing system provided for in the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 the facility in question applied for, and was granted by the EPA, an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licence. Such licences encompass the full range of environmental impacts of an activity, including in respect of the management of wastes arising as a result of the activity. However, the company went into liquidation before the conditions in the licence could be met and the liquidator applied to the High Court seeking to disclaim the IPC licence. The judgement, on 29 July 2004, found as a matter of fact that the IPC licence was granted after the company had ceased production of steel and that the conditions of the licence could not be applied retrospectively. A lacuna thus arose as regards the regulatory status of the facility.
Necessarily, the resolution of this must involve a determination as to the future use of the site and thus the appropriate regulatory arrangements which should apply to it. The regulatory status of the site is currently the subject of a complaint to the EU and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
