Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 18 Apr 1991

Vol. 407 No. 2

Written Answers. - Waste Disposal at Sea Licences.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

47 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the number of licences which have been granted for the dumping of industrial waste off our coasts for each of the years between 1987 and 1991; and if he will give details of each licence granted.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Wilson)

Since 1987, a total of 12 permits were granted, under the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981, to three industrial concerns licensed to dump industrial waste at sea. Details of the permits granted are as follows:

Pfizer Chemical Corporation was granted five permits since 1987 authorising the dumping of fermentation waste at a site off the coast of County Cork. The company dumps the greatest quantity, 99 per cent of industrial waste from Ireland at sea and is currently authorised to dump up to 750,000 tonnes per annum. In practice, however, the amount actually dumped has been considerably less than the amount licensed.

Wyeth (Ireland) Limited is authorised to dump up to 3,300 tonnes per annum of sludge effluent arising from the manufacture of infant food at a site in the Shannon estuary. The company was granted five permits in the period.

Irish Refining plc. dumps about 1,300 tonnes of spent caustic waste every two years at the industrial dump site off Cork Harbour and has been granted two permits since 1987.