Lobby group raising funds to fight waste projects

A community group concerned that historic environmental problems of a Cavan landfill will return if a number of waste processing operations go ahead are raising money in a bid to stymie the plans, writes Thomas Lyons.

Cavan Better Waste Management (CBWM) group are seeking assistance to help “protect our local community and environment”. The group are raising funds to object to further developments at Corranure Landfill.
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt one resident of the area recalled a time when Corranure was the site of a lake where they brought their children to look at swans gliding along the calm surface. Fast forward 40 years and the local authority has done tremendous work to cap the problem landfill that saw them and operators Oxigen Environmental Limited handed down fines totalling over €1,000,000.
Those fines, for breaches of regulations while dealing with 25,000 tonnes of the capital's waste, were substantially reduced on appeal, but the legacy of environmental difficulties posed by the site are still fresh in the minds of locals despite the landfill's closure six years ago.
A civic amenity facility, operated and managed by McElvaney Waste and Recycling, is now located at the landfill site.
Anne, a resident of Corranure who did not wish to give her second name, said that because of the site's history people are concerned about any further development: “I have lived here all my life. Before it [the landfill] was closed there was a problem with the smell, not all the time, but when the weather was hot or when there was frost it was particularly bad. It is much better since it closed but sometimes there is still a problem with the smell. I would be concerned if there were a number of waste facilities operating out of the Corranure site.”
Anne's concerns revolve around a series of applications for waste treatment facilities in the Lismagratty and Corranure areas. Waste company, Wilton Waste Recycling Ltd, was recently granted permission for a waste processing and transfer facility at Lismagratty and Corranure, subject to 18 conditions.
McBreen Environmental has also received permission for a waste handling facility in the environs.
A further application saw the planning department grant permission to Andrew Fay for an anaerobic digester subject to 26 conditions.
In May of 2015, the local authority approved the transfer of the 5.26 acres of land at Lismagratty to Andrew Fay for the sum of €38,000 per acre.
There is a unanimous acceptance that the facility at Corranure is better run now that it was ten years ago, however the recent applications stir up recollections of the difficulties of the past.
Christy Dooley of Cullentra has vivid memories of what thing used to be like: “It was atrocious. I used to pick a point just around the bend from here and take a deep breath and I would not let my breath out until I was at the bypass and vice versa when I was coming home. Things were that bad. It was sickening.”
He is not blind to the improvements that have taken place: “They have put a lovely front on the landfill. They are putting in all these conditions, but conditions are wonderful and it is great to have them, providing they are enforced. There has to be an element of odour from them. With three or maybe four operators in the one area how are the council going to determine what is the source of any problem?”
Christy says that, despite his objections to the plans, he is not optimistic: “I am supporting the campaign and I will back it in any way I can but I am sceptical about how successful the outcome will be. All the lands involved are either owned or have been owned by the county council. They grant the planning permission, so...”
He says that he would have more faith in the overall plan if the Environmental Protection Agency were overseeing the matter.
The Celt contacted Andrew Fay to put forward the concerns raised by residents of Lismagatty, Mr Fay said that he would comment at a later date.
Cavan County Council, meanwhile, said “a comment on [the matter] will not be forthcoming at this time”.