GALWAY for a SAFE ENVIRONMENT
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MONDAY 31th JANUARY
Galway for a Safe Environment (GSE) Residents for a Responsible Waste Management Policy Monday, January 31st, 2000 Greenpeace Sweden Reports High Dioxin Levels in Incinerator Ash Where in East Galway will Toxic Ash be Buried? Spittelau Incinerator in Austria Emitting 11g of Dioxin in Residue Ash The residue ash from the controversial waste incinerator planned for Galway City is likely to be much more toxic than previously thought, according to a spokesperson for Galway for a Safe Environment. Áine Suttle, joint Secretary of the group, said that a recent Greenpeace study of Swedish and Austrian incinerators had shown that the levels of dioxin contained in the ash from municipal waste incinerators was many times the official estimates (see below for details). "There has been no discussion whatsoever as to where the toxic ash from the proposed Galway incinerator is likely to be dumped", said Áine Suttle. "Incinerators produce about 1 tonne of ash for every 3 tonnes of rubbish burned, and with an incinerator planned for Galway city, burning up to 120,000 tonnes of rubbish per annum, this is likely to produce up to 40,000 tonnes of toxic ash." "Nowhere in the Connacht Draft Waste Management Plan, currently open for submissions to the public, does it spell out where this 40,000 tonnes of toxic ash is to be landfilled", said Áine Suttle. "Don't the people of Galway, and the people of East Galway in particular, deserve to be told that the toxic ash will be landfilled in their area, if this is the case ?" A recent report published by Greenpeace Sweden (November 1999) says that dioxin levels in ashes from Sweden's waste incinerators are "many times" official estimates. The residues represent a total of 30 - 40 percent (weight) of the waste incinerated, and are deposited on ordinary landfills in Sweden. This compilation shows that the annual emissions of dioxins to ashes is between 18 and 216 grammes per year, with a median estimate of 114 grammes….. The Swedish EPA claims that the total dioxin emissions from Swedish waste incinerators were 3.6 - 5.4 grams….. Massive investments to reduce dioxin emissions to air over the past ten years, have mainly resulted in dioxins going out the back door, via ashes. (italics quote directly from report) Áine Suttle said that animal testing conducted in Japan had shown that 1 gramme of dioxin was sufficient to kill 10,000 people. A recent EU study, entitled EU Dioxin Exposure and Health Data, had linked exposure to dioxins with a range of health risks, including liver damage, suppression of the immune system, formation of cancers and abnormalities in foetal development. Councillors in Wexford, who voted unanimously this month to reject such an incinerator, were quoted as being worried about the effect of dioxins on human health, and referred particularly to the EU study. It was significant that the Swedish expert on incineration, who was representing the consultants who drew up the Wexford plan, Prof. Christoper Rappe, admitted that he hadn't even read the EU report. The Greenpeace report also deals with the Spittelau incinerator in Austria, which was widely reported on in Irish newspapers last week. The plant has a continuous monitoring of dioxins in the smoke emissions, which is on constant display to the public. The Greenpeace Sweden report, quoting from another study, says that . The total emissions from Spittelau were close to 11 grams during 1998, and 99.7 percent of the emissions were through residues. Galway for a Safe Environment (GSE) is a group which was set up in late 1999 to oppose the siting of a waste incinerator in Galway, and to promote alternative methods of landfill reduction, such as intensive reduction, re-use and re-cycling of domestic and industrial waste. The Connacht Draft Waste Management Plan will be open for submissions to the public until March 31st. The Galway Local Authorities announced last October that they had selected four sites for the controversial incinerator, three in Castlegar Parish, and one at Galway Docks. Galway for a Safe Environment are asking people to write to their local representatives opposing the proposed incinerator, and to make submissions to the plan. More information on Swedish Greenpeace Report on HYPERLINK http://www.greenpeace.se http://www.greenpeace.se Ends: Confirmation: Conchúr Ó Brádaigh 087-2830452 / 091-799223 Áine Suttle 091-581047 <!-- HTML Markup endspan --> </td> </tr> </table> <a name=bottom></a> </body> </html>