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The clean-up of one of the country’s largest
toxic dumps, for which the Government has allocated €40 million,
is unlikely to begin until the middle of 2012.
The Government last week agreed to set aside €20m next year
and a further €20m the following year to address concerns
about the Haulbowline dump in Cork.
Agriculture and Marine Minister Simon Coveney secured the
funds after years of reports into the waste at the contaminated
former Irish Steel/Irish Ispat plant in Cork Harbour.
Three approaches are being considered to clean up toxic waste
and byproducts of steel making - containing it; removing the
material or 'remediating' the site, Mr Coveney’s spokeswoman
said.
A statement from Mr Coveney added - "It is in all our interest
that a solution is found for the former Ispat site and I am
determined to ensure that there are no further delays in finding
a solution."
The existence of the toxic dump was revealed by the Irish
Examiner in June 2008. The dump, next to the former Irish
Steel/Irish Ispat plant, contains a number of heavy metals
and the highly carcinogenic Chromium 6.
The European Commission had already warned that Ireland may
face fines that could possibly run into several thousand euro
per day.
The funds being set aside for the clean up will also come
from across several departments - not just from the Department
of Agriculture’s budget.
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