PUBLIC opposition to plans to pipe leachate from the North Kerry landfill site to the already hard-pressed Castleisland Sewage Treatment plant is coming to a head in town this week ahead of a deadline this Friday for public submissions on the proposal.
The plan provides for a 10km pipeline from the landfill site at Muingnaminnane to take the effluent of the dump into the treatment plant in Castleisland. Leachate is a general term for the liquid formed by rainwater passing through materials. Landfill leachate can contain a variety of toxic substances; the toxicity dependant on the type of materials stored in the landfill.
Over 40 locals attended a public meeting with Kerry County Council engineers that was convened by Councillor Bobby O'Connell last month, following which numerous concerns have been raised by locals. Councillor Danny Healy Rae also signalled local concerns on the matter on this page last week; after his efforts to press the council to extend the treatment plant to service College Road, Brosna Road and Tullig.
He became alarmed when he learned of the plan to take leachate into the facility despite the authority's insistence the plant could not even cater for these local areas.
Strong, local momentum is now building for an upfront, bare-knuckled public meeting on the matter. With Castleisland's traditional, no holds-barred history of such meetings it would be advisable for those in charge of this proposed development to take notice.
"To expect an overworked sewage treatment plant in the middle of a small town to deal with the s**t of a whole county when it can't handle its own is tearing the arse of it," said a local with a gift for vernacular eloquence during the week.
Some of the concerns being raised by locals include the possible threat they think the pipeline might pose to the water table.
"The 10.8 kilometres is excessively long and the leachate should be treated on site in accordance with EPA recommendations," one concerned resident of town wrote.
"As there are a number of private water wells in the area (some within 20 feet of the proposed pipe) any leak into the limestone soil from the pipe will have catastrophic consequences for the families concerned. Vents measuring 4 metres (approx 13 feet) above ground will be an eyesore. These vents will be located every 500-700 metres and there is the potential for noxious smells from these vents."
Locals are concerned that any damage to the pipeline might result in the leakage of the toxic leachate into the water table and also have serious concerns over the plans to run the pipeline in proximity to our water mains.
Observations regarding the proposed development should be sent to engineer in charge of the project Conor Culloo at The Environment Department of Kerry County Council, Main Street, Tralee, by Friday, July 8 next.
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