The latest EPA emissions report EPA Licensed Sites 2014 – Report on Air Emissions published in 2015 puts Indaver’s Meath Incinerator at the top of the offenders list with 19 emissions limit breaches reported at the facility in 2014, more than any other site in the country.
The EPA report states “In total there were 113 Emissions Limit Value (ELV) breaches reported in 2014 by 33 different sites, with 57% of these relating to just five sites”. Indaver Ireland (Duleek) comes in at the top of this list, with 19 emissions breaches.
Indavers 19 emissions breaches all relate to Carbon Monoxide emissions limits, and likely causes indicated are Power Failure (1); Process Shutdown (1); Other (17).
The EPA report states “A review of this licence has addressed the issue”, which in effect means that the emissions limit band has been widened so that what was considered a breach in 2014 will not be considered a breach in the future.
CHASE Chairperson Mary O’Leary said “Increased carbon monoxide levels mean inefficient burning (source, US EPA), which means a higher risk of other pollutants such as dioxins and furans which form at lower temperatures. Even if the breaches themselves are not considered environmentally significant, it’s absolutely unacceptable that the EPA’s response to these breaches is to allow Indaver to continue this inefficient operation by widening their licence, rather than impsosing any penalty.
When the current Director General of the EPA is Laura Burke, who immediately prior to this appointment served as Project Manager to Indavers Meath and Cork incinerator plans, it’s crystal clear that the only body standing up for communities are the communities themselves.”
According to the US EPA “Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream and reduces oxygen delivery to the body’s organs and tissues. The health threat from exposure to CO is most serious for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease. Healthy individuals are also affected, but only at higher levels of exposure.”
CHASE has been opposing Indavers attempts to build toxic and municipal incinerators in Ringaskiddy since 2001. CHASE will be holding a public meeting in Cobh Community Centre on Monday 22 Feb at 7.30pm to which all are welcome.
Sources
EPA 2014 Report – https://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/enforcement/Air%20Emissions%20Report_2014.pdf
Carbon Monoxide – US EPA http://www3.epa.gov/airtrends/aqtrnd95/co.html