A 140-ACRE SITE in County Louth is being examined today to see if it has been used for any “environmentally harmful and illegal purposes”.

RTÉ reports that authorities are looking for buried diesel sludge at the Cavan Hill site near Dundalk.

Diesel sludge is the substance left behind after agricultural diesel is processed. It is highly toxic.

A team from the Louth Local Authorities entered the Knockbridge site at 8am this morning. They have been accompanied by the Gardaí, as well as environmental experts.

Local authorities said the comprehensive search is part of an ongoing investigation in the area.

Depending on what is found, the investigating team will also liaise with Revenue, Customs, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Des Foley, director of services at Louth Local Authorities said, “When we complete our work on the site, there is likely to be a further period while we await the results from laboratories of various sample tests and analyses. At that stage, we may move towards a prosecution but any decisions in that regard are for another day and it would be premature to comment in that regard at this time.”

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, another spokesman for the authorities said a second statement will be released by tomorrow morning but no further comment could be given until more progress is made at the site.

In the past year, Gardaí have uncovered fuel laundering plants in Meath, Monaghan and Louth.