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  • State could face daily fines over clean-up failure of Haulbowline contaminated site

    An environmental group has lodged a complaint with the European Commission over what it alleges is the State’s failure to properly progress the decontamination of one of the country’s worst polluted industrial sites.


    Wednesday, February 13, 2019 - 05:01 PM
    By Joe Leogue
    An environmental group has lodged a complaint with the European Commission over what it alleges is the State’s failure to properly progress the decontamination of one of the country’s worst polluted industrial sites.
    Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) have claimed the failure to ensure the decontamination of Haulbowline Island in Cork, based on a ‘whole of island’ approach, could lead to daily fines from the European Court of Justice.
    The former Ispat/Irish Steel site had remedial works carried out on a nine-hectare waste plot known as the East Tip, a dumping ground between 1996 and 2001. Cork County Council has plans to open a public park on that section in due course.
    In May 2015, the Government announced €61million would be provided to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to cover a whole of island approach to the remediation process. It followed a 2005 Programme of Measures submitted to the European Court of Justice, after it ruled Ireland had infringed the Waste Framework Directive, citing Haulbowline as one example of such a breach.
    However, work has yet to be carried out on decontaminating the remaining 11 hectares on the island. And machinery used on the East Tip remedial works was removed.
    The ownership of the island was transferred to the Department of Defence which indicated there is no definitive timeline for the completion of remediation works.





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    Tony Lowes of FIE has warned that breaching the 2005 agreement “could lead Ireland back to the European Court of Justice for daily fines”.
    But Minister Michael Creed this week told the Dáil preparatory work on cleaning up the island is underway. “While the priority has been remediation of the East Tip, work on assessing a suitable solution for the former steelworks factory site has also been advanced in preparation for the next phase of the remediation project,” Mr Creed said.
    “Detailed site investigations have been undertaken and the preparation of an application for planning consent has also been advanced.
    “The Government has decided that the Minister for Defence will be the ultimate owner of Haulbowline Island, in keeping with the Naval Service being headquartered on the island. Any remediation solution for these areas will need to be cognisant of their likely long-term use.” Mr Creed said.
    Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock, who raised the issue, said: “As far as the people of Great Island are concerned, this is a whole-of-Government issue which should be responded to by everybody across Government."
    Mr Sherlock said he hoped the clean-up would not lead to a ‘turf war’ between the agriculture and defence departments.
    “Some €61 million was originally allocated but my understanding is that only €23 million has been spent so far,” said Deputy Sherlock.
    For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

    Comment


    • Originally posted by na grohmitÃ* View Post
      State could face daily fines over clean-up failure of Haulbowline contaminated site

      https://www.irishexaminer.com/breaki...te-904244.html
      There’s the Defence budget gone

      Comment


      • I thought originally the plan was cleanup first then give it to DoD. It seems like someone pulled a fast one. The mess is not of the Defence Forces making.
        For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

        Comment


        • I hope the remaining unspent portion of the cleanup budget got transferred to Defence along with the island ownership??
          An army is power. Its entire purpose is to coerce others. This power can not be used carelessly or recklessly. This power can do great harm. We have seen more suffering than any man should ever see, and if there is going to be an end to it, it must be an end that justifies the cost. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

          Comment


          • Originally posted by X-RayOne View Post
            I hope the remaining unspent portion of the cleanup budget got transferred to Defence along with the island ownership??
            You’re new here, aren’t you?
            'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
            'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
            Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
            He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
            http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.html

            Comment


            • Originally posted by Flamingo View Post
              You’re new here, aren’t you?
              In Rugby terms passing full Island ownership to Defence could become a "hospital " pass. On the one hand we have remedial works to be done on the Mill site and it's foundations , possibly funded, and we also have the need to Navalise berthage on the West wall with power and water , yet to be funded. Then we have the picnic site, under Defence ownership requiring safety and oversight. Everything the State puts it's hand to seems to leak other problems like a sieve.

              Comment


              • Knowing DoD they will build Accomodiation on the site, NS personnel will get sick, DoD will end up in court

                Comment


                • Originally posted by ancientmariner View Post
                  In Rugby terms passing full Island ownership to Defence could become a "hospital " pass. On the one hand we have remedial works to be done on the Mill site and it's foundations , possibly funded, and we also have the need to Navalise berthage on the West wall with power and water , yet to be funded. Then we have the picnic site, under Defence ownership requiring safety and oversight. Everything the State puts it's hand to seems to leak other problems like a sieve.
                  It was the department of agriculture that funded the remediation project. The mill site is probably more contaminated than the east tip and I would expect that it can’t be just capped and sealed like the east tip. Hydrocarbons was present in most of the 20 odd boreholes within the site

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by ibenji View Post
                    It was the department of agriculture that funded the remediation project. The mill site is probably more contaminated than the east tip and I would expect that it can’t be just capped and sealed like the east tip. Hydrocarbons was present in most of the 20 odd boreholes within the site
                    My work clothes are also contaminated in hydrocarbons. The smell from these hydrocarbons can be quite strong, in particular if the recipient of the odour has nasal receptors unaccustomed to its airborne characteristics. Indeed after a heavy shower, I can see traces of the hydrocarbons all over the road outside. This I find ironic as the matter binding the surface aggregate is itself derived from hydrocarbons.
                    Before you use big words to support an assertion you should try to understand what they mean.
                    Definition of hydrocarbon
                    : an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens
                    I'm shocked that there would be oil found on a site that has been used for heavy industry for the last 100 years or so. Next thing you'll be telling me that there were traces of Caprinae fecal matter found all over the Ranges at Kilworth and the Glen of Imaal..
                    For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by na grohmitÃ* View Post
                      My work clothes are also contaminated in hydrocarbons. The smell from these hydrocarbons can be quite strong, in particular if the recipient of the odour has nasal receptors unaccustomed to its airborne characteristics. Indeed after a heavy shower, I can see traces of the hydrocarbons all over the road outside. This I find ironic as the matter binding the surface aggregate is itself derived from hydrocarbons.
                      Before you use big words to support an assertion you should try to understand what they mean.


                      I'm shocked that there would be oil found on a site that has been used for heavy industry for the last 100 years or so. Next thing you'll be telling me that there were traces of Caprinae fecal matter found all over the Ranges at Kilworth and the Glen of Imaal..
                      Not sure we struck oil,however in many foundries there is exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) as a result of thermal decomposition of carbonaceous ingredients commonly added to foundry sand. There was airborne exposure to chromium and nickel compounds. The experts say that new organic binder materials used in the steel industry since the 1950's exposed workers to phenol, formaldehyde, isocyanates and various amines. If they swam there might be rabbit shit on Spike.

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by ancientmariner View Post
                        Not sure we struck oil,however in many foundries there is exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) as a result of thermal decomposition of carbonaceous ingredients commonly added to foundry sand. There was airborne exposure to chromium and nickel compounds. The experts say that new organic binder materials used in the steel industry since the 1950's exposed workers to phenol, formaldehyde, isocyanates and various amines. If they swam there might be rabbit shit on Spike.
                        What everyone is missing is the fact that the govt allocated €60m (if I'm not mistaken) for the slag heap remediation, only spending €13-14m. In other words, the level of remediation required was not to the scale expected...... it was not as polluted as people thought. The handover of the rest of the island to DOD has to be taken as a positive, considering the govt still plan to spend that money on the site. It will mean that Defence get full ownership of the site & allows for future requirements of the DF (not only the NS).
                        The negative narrative here can be overwhelming at times.

                        Anyone who has seen the former slag heap can only be impressed by it compared to what was there for the past 50 years. It is greening the harbour and will pull people into the centre of the harbour who may never had any inkling of the scale, size and attributes of Cork Harbour.

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by ancientmariner View Post
                          Not sure we struck oil,however in many foundries there is exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAH) as a result of thermal decomposition of carbonaceous ingredients commonly added to foundry sand. There was airborne exposure to chromium and nickel compounds. The experts say that new organic binder materials used in the steel industry since the 1950's exposed workers to phenol, formaldehyde, isocyanates and various amines. If they swam there might be rabbit shit on Spike.
                          Much of the more hazardous airborne particles departed when this happened.

                          That dust cloud expanded as it moved southeast. I was there, I got some on my shoes, it never came off. Left a nice silver sheen on my brown leather shoes. I often wonder what other damage was done.
                          What is apparent however was that the demolition process did little to prevent the escape of such dust into the atmosphere. Clearly the priority was to salvage as much scrap steel as possible. I have been involved in the removal of asbestos roofing from other industrial facilities and this is the exact opposite of how you do it.
                          What is in the east tip can do no more harm. It cannot seep into the water table, it cannot become airborne. With every shower, what remains of the old steel mill finds its way into the river, or the atmosphere. Small quantities surely, but still not curtailed in any manner.


                          Watch this one with the sound down.
                          For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

                          Comment


                          • [QUOTE=na grohmitÃ*;466246]Much of the more hazardous airborne particles departed when this happened.

                            That dust cloud expanded as it moved southeast. I was there, I got some on my shoes, it never came off. Left a nice silver sheen on my brown leather shoes. I often wonder what other damage was done.
                            What is apparent however was that the demolition process did little to prevent the escape of such dust into the atmosphere. Clearly the priority was to salvage as much scrap steel as possible. I have been involved in the removal of asbestos roofing from other industrial facilities and this is the exact opposite of how you do it.
                            What is in the east tip can do no more harm. It cannot seep into the water table, it cannot become airborne. With every shower, what remains of the old steel mill finds its way into the river, or the atmosphere. Small quantities surely, but still not curtailed in any manner.

                            Comment


                            • [QUOTE=ancientmariner;466253]
                              Originally posted by na grohmitÃ* View Post
                              Much of the more hazardous airborne particles departed when this happened.

                              That dust cloud expanded as it moved southeast. I was there, I got some on my shoes, it never came off. Left a nice silver sheen on my brown leather shoes. I often wonder what other damage was done.
                              What is apparent however was that the demolition process did little to prevent the escape of such dust into the atmosphere. Clearly the priority was to salvage as much scrap steel as possible. I have been involved in the removal of asbestos roofing from other industrial facilities and this is the exact opposite of how you do it.
                              What is in the east tip can do no more harm. It cannot seep into the water table, it cannot become airborne. With every shower, what remains of the old steel mill finds its way into the river, or the atmosphere. Small quantities surely, but still not curtailed in any manner.




                              There are laid down Rules and specifications for the Demolition of Steel Works to include soft strip with hand tools, then piecemeal demolition with remotely operated equipment, minimising dust with water spray, expert survey and sampling for contaminants, special drainage to ground for water used, isolating and closing off services supplies. You cannot take anybody serious that authorised that form of skittle demolition generating bursting dust clouds.
                              Sorry I seemed to have goosed my entry a bit and cannot fix it. However the demolition was a disaster. The last paragraph above was mine.
                              Last edited by ancientmariner; 17 February 2019, 21:00.

                              Comment


                              • Understood.
                                Clearly whoever was tasked with the demolition must have come in with the cheapest bid. From the second clip I posted earlier, clearly H&S was not a priority either.
                                They may have been tasked with clearing the site in the fastest time possible. Those responsible may have been more concerned with headlines. I know the Green party who were in government at the time feigned interest, but when given the opportunity to see real data recorded by NS people, who had been accurately monitoring the atmosphere during steel production, and after, they didn't return any calls.
                                For now, everything hangs on implementation of the CoDF report.

                                Comment

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