We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Agency will award a €40 million licence that will see a toxic waste dump turned into a park.
The EPA has told the Minister for Agriculture of their proposed decision to grant a waste licence for the remediation of East Tip site at Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour.
Minister Simon Coveney TD welcomed the notification, which will clear up the former steel plant on the site.
The 22-acre dump at Haulbowline Island, which was previously the site of Irish Ispat – and before that, Irish Steel – carries waste and slag left behind from the steel works which continued there for over six decades.
“We look forward to the EPAs final approved decision being issued in due course, while respecting the provisions for objections provided for, which should pave the way for Cork County Council to commence the detailed design and execution phase of the core remediation work at Haulbowline Island in the near future.
“I have been determined that this project will proceed with minimal delays and the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes by both Cork County Council and my own Department has enabled substantial progress to be made this year.
“The whole of Island approach adopted is now bringing rapid results.”
Coveney added that the the works would “bring substantial benefits to the local economy” and would transform the island “into a genuine national infrastructural asset”.
Famed campaigner Erin Brockovich had previously called for the dump to be cleaned, owing to the potential presence of chromium VI there – the same chemical which had caused the contamination of drinking water in the campaign she is most known for.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Still amazed Ispat weren’t forced through the courts to pick up the tab for the clean up. They got away with blue murder on that one.
Ispat owned it for maybe 5 years after buying it from the irish government for 1 pound we the tax payer owned the company for much longer so really the tax payer should be paying for the cleanup as it seems we are. My dad and brothers worked there for years with my dad being one of the first non. cobh workers there. Would love to see a place to remember the steel plant in the park.
Gareth, things are sold cheap as a going concern and the price reflex liabilities that the company may have. So the actually vie may have been 40 million and one euro but only 1 euro was paid to reflex the 40required to clean up.
Has Denis O’Brien submitted a bid for the contract yet?
How is it possible that the companies who created this waste and contaminated the local environment aren’t being forced to clean up their mess? Why don’t we ever hold companies to account? It’s not much different from nationalising Anglo and servicing the debt with tax payers’ money. What happens to politicians’ spines when they reach Leinster house?
It’s easy to say that, but Ispat only owned the site for a few years, so they were responsible for a relatively small amount of the contaminated material.
Wasn’t this a Simpsons episode?
About time. Beautiful place cork harbour. Not holding my breath tho.
They’re turning Cork City centre into a park?????
This site has been a dissaster for years,but if this park project can be achieved it could be real value for money and turn an extreme eyesore into one of the most attractive and sustainable real amenity sites in the country,with boat trips to Spike island a possibility and with the added provision of a boating marina and the naval service just located nearby on the island,this could be an outstanding future harbour attraction not only for tourists but for the general population.
It can be done Richard and I think that it could be achieved for a lot less than €40 million. Bioremediation has been around for a long time and has become so refined as to be able to target specific pollutants.
Bio-remediation using fast growing willow or poplar would do the job for a lot less than €40 million but then there would not be so much opportunity for baksheesh
Does bio-remediation get rid of Chromium VI?
Yes.
Ah no i like Cork as a dump!! Please don’t turn Cork into a habitable parkland!!
Ya ya ya. Well remember only for Cork we wouldn’t have an Irish state. So love or hate us we made a home for the rest of you lot.
Hold on there a minute, I think most of us a rooting for Cork and the success of this venture :-)
Well the media has portrayed limerick as the exact same the last few years and it’s doing fine.
Good enough for them, its a kip anyway.
“Where will we go today? Fota? Kinsale? Garretstown?
No, we’ll go down to the toxic dump park.”
No need for a Park, just let it grow over naturally.
Just watched a really interesting documentary about the wolves in Chernobyl’s aftermath. The whole uninhabitable land surrounding the site of the disaster is now amazingly teeming with life that is taken over since everyone has left never to return. It’s remarkable to see and worth a watch on YouTube!
have your say