GALWAY for a SAFE ENVIRONMENT
press your back button to return PRESS RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8th, 2000
Galway for a Safe Environment (GSE) Residents for a Responsible Waste Management Policy Tuesday, February 8th, 2000 Councillors Not being Given the Full Story on Health Effects of Incineration Dioxin not Mentioned Once in 120-Page Report Independence of Waste Management Consultants Questioned GSE Asking for Opportunity to Brief Councillors Councillors are not being given the full story on the possible health effects of incineration by consultants MC O'Sullivan, according to the environmental group, Galway for a Safe Environment (GSE), who are asking for an opportunity to present the scientific facts directly to both Galway Corporation and County Council. Speaking after a meeting with representatives of over 85 residents, farming, fisheries, tourism and community groups, held this week in the Menlo Park Hotel, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, PRO for GSE, said that it was amazing that the 120-page Connacht Draft Waste Management Plan didn't mention the toxic substance dioxin once, even though the EU had published a 650-page report on the subject last October. "Mr. P.J. Rudden, of MC O'Sullivan, when presenting to Galway Corporation last week, was asked about the EU Report by Councillors, and was quoted as saying simply that it indicated a "reduction in the levels of dioxins in other European cities" (Connacht Tribune, Feb. 4th)." "Mr. Rudden neglected to point out that the EU Report also said that background exposure to dioxins in the general population of the EU is still at levels where subtle health effects may occur and for many individuals, total exposure currently exceeds even the upper limit of the WHO recommended level. (italics quote directly from EU Report)". The EU report also said that the exposure of first-born infants, up to 2 months of age, could be between 27 and 144 times greater than the WHO recommendation, and that leaching of dioxin from ash in landfills may well be one of the most important sources of dioxin in the future. (see attached Update for more information on EU Report). "It is quite clear to us, from speaking to some of the councillors who attended the meeting at the Menlo Park Hotel, that none of this important health information has been presented to Councillors in Galway, and we are now asking for an opportunity to make a direct presentation to both Galway County Council and Galway Corporation on this issue" The meeting also heard criticism of the fact that the Connacht Draft Waste Management Plan, which is open for submissions from the public until March 31st, was co-authored by Danish consultants COWI. COWI are described in an Irish Times report of last October as "thermal treatment experts", and on their own website as "engaged in projects…such as energy derived from solid waste through burning in incineration plants". "The public are entitled to question the independence of the report, when a group co-authoring the report (COWI) is heavily involved in one solution to waste management, in this case incineration, particularly where some of the important health information is not being presented to our councillors", said Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. When asked why Wexford County Council turned down the incineration option by a majority of 19 to 1, it was suggested at Galway Corporation that it was due to misinformation on the part of Wexford Councillors. However, media reports in the national press said at the time that it was the consultants' expert, Prof. Christopher Rappe, who had to admit that he had not read the EU Report on Dioxins. "It is quite clear to us from our contacts with groups in Wexford that the County Councillors there were fully briefed on the scientific evidence pointing to health effects from incinerators, and we are asking for an opportunity to present the same information to Galway Councillors". GSE also said that MC O'Sullivan were misleading councillors by saying that the alternative to the incinerator was "two landfill sites three times that of the proposed residual site, one each in Galway an North Connacht…each of which would bring as much if not more opposition than the incinerator"(Connacht Tribune, Feb. 4th). "The fact is that the alternative to incineration is not more landfills, but a comprehensive re-cycling programme, which could meet the Government targets of 50% diversion from landfill". The meeting at the Menlo Park Hotel was shown a video of a recycling programme in the city of Guelph, Ontario, which had achieved a 60% diversion from landfill by a simple wet/dry household separation system. "Again, this type of information doesn't seem to have been presented to councillors, and we are looking for an opportunity to do so". Mr. Ó Brádaigh said that Galway for a Safe Environment would be writing to all councillors, and both City and County Managers, asking for an opportunity as soon as possible to address both the Corporation and County Council directly on these important health matters. Ends. <!-- HTML Markup endspan --> </td> </tr> </table> <a name=bottom></a> </body> </html>