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Border counties spend more than €1.6 million on clean-up of toxic sludge from diesel laundering

Two councils counted more than 222 clean-up operations over the past five years.

TWO BORDER COUNTIES have spent more than €1.6 million on the clean-up of toxic sludge from illegal diesel laundering plants over the past five years.

Since 2020, Louth County Council said it spent €1.12 million on dumping by fuel smugglers while Monaghan County Council said its bill was almost €500,000.

Diesel laundering is the process of washing out a green dye that is placed in rebated green fuel, or marked mineral oil, to make it colourless.

When the fuel is ‘cleaned’ however, it leaves behind a damaging toxic sludge that is often simply dumped by the roadside for councils to clean up.

The two local authorities said there had been more than 222 clean-up operations in the period between 2020 and midway through last year.

Each of them cost an average of €7,300 with Louth County Council forced to spend €156,000 in a single quarter in 2023 dealing with a large-scale dumping incident.

Costs have been rising in that county as well with the clean-up almost doubling from €188,000 in 2020 to €361,000 in 2023.

Two other councils, Donegal and Cavan, said they had no costs relating to clean-up from diesel laundering and that it was not an issue affecting their county.

Diesel laundering was the focus of a crackdown by the government in the 2010s, amid concerns that the black market was costing the State €861 million a year.

A spokesperson for Monaghan County Council said the dumping of ‘diesel wash’ in their county had been an issue for around 25 years.

He said they had dealt with a very significant number of dumping incidents that had resulted in “very substantial cleanup and disposal costs” for the Irish taxpayer.

“The aftermath of diesel laundering continues to give rise to significant costs in the county and creates a potential environmental and health and safety hazard,” the spokesperson said.

He urged anybody with knowledge of diesel laundering or the dumping of waste to report incidents to their local garda station.

Asked about their more than €1 million spent on tackling illegal waste from fuel smuggling, a spokesman for Louth County Council said they were working closely with gardaí and Revenue to tackle the problem.

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Sun 1:13 PM

    I can’t understand why they don’t stop putting dye in rebated diesel, and instead give those entitled to the subsidy a cash payment instead. To a government commited to a clean environment, allegedly, it would stop this practice!

    154
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 1:52 PM

    https://secretireland.ie/hugh-dubh-oneill-the-irishman-who-defied-cromwell/
    Ulster men defending Ireland, those who forget their history are bound to repeat it

    89
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:54 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: In tomorrow’s episode, Brian will attempt to explain why he has chosen to defend millions in environmental damages caused by good republicans by sharing links to history articles referencing events hundreds of years ago. Stay tuned!

    35
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 3:05 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    They bottled it and R an A way to Spain

    6
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 2:03 PM

    Deary me, some don’t understand the split in the IRA after the Good Friday Agreement.

    88
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    Mute Philip Kennedy
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    Sun 2:19 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: splitters

    4
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    Mute offside again
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    Sun 2:46 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: which side would you be on ?

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    Mute Pink Freud
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    Sun 5:10 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: It’s not a “split” in a *paramilitary resistance organisation.* It’s the criminal enterprise arm, that funded the paramilitary resistance, who split away from the cause for Political and (former)Paramilitary Resistance in order to continue with their own **selfish financial self-gains** from Criminal Enterprises.

    QED – they are simply and solely OCGs. On both sides of the communities of NI. And should only ever been referred to and treated as such, subsequent to the GFA.
    End of story.

    Because at this stage now, they are ALL subverting the wellbeing and QoL and L&O of their respective Nations’ Civil Society, Civil Peace, and Economic Viability.

    They are causing an unwarranted and unwanted drain on Civil Resources, through Policing+Courts+Councils that *should be* equitably spent on the most vulnerable in society through Housing, Health, Education, Juvenile and Disability Advocacy Services, Fostering & Adoption, Free Legal Aid Services, Water and *reasonable* (not sludge clean-up) Sanitation, and probably most importantly: addressing the sustained Sectarian imbalance in NI Policing **due to their OCG threats** and inspite of *Legislative* changes undoing the Centuries-long enablement and protected provision of *Apartheid Policing.*

    Bunch of absolute scabby w@nkrz!

    1
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    Mute PhiBo
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    Sun 6:12 PM

    @offside again: Are their sides in murdering people?

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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 1:50 PM
    82
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 2:10 PM
    83
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    Mute Erin Go Brátwurst - Likes a Good Sausage
    Favourite Erin Go Brátwurst - Likes a Good Sausage
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    Sun 2:17 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: why are there two trans men in the picture? Seems a bit progressive for Eibhe Braun and Co.

    2
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 10:13 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    Blue shirts founded by a Chief of Staff of the RA

    1
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    Mute Erin Go Brátwurst - Likes a Good Sausage
    Favourite Erin Go Brátwurst - Likes a Good Sausage
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    Sun 2:13 PM

    €1.6m? Are they in the red?

    76
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    Mute Steve Davis
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    Sun 3:23 PM

    @Erin Go Brátwurst – Likes a Good Sausage: No, its taxpayers money – so the money tree that keeps on giving. Maybe if they reduced their extortionate tax take on fuel, they’d have NO cleanup costs, and a lot better for the environment!

    48
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    Mute Vladimir Poutine
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    Sun 1:06 PM

    Oh I’m sure they more than made up that 1.6m in the ludicrous tax they put on fuel.

    104
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    Mute El Sparko
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    Sun 1:37 PM

    @Vladimir Poutine: stupid comment; county councils don’t apply or collect fuel taxes

    35
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    Mute Vladimir Poutine
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    Sun 2:01 PM

    @El Sparko: County councils are a part of the government. Councillors paid for the clean up out of their own pockets did they?

    94
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    Mute Steve Davis
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    Sun 3:20 PM

    @El Sparko: Stupid Comment…. where do u think the €1.6m cleanup money came from, Donald Trump???

    82
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:00 PM

    Good Republicans?

    48
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 1:08 PM

    @honey badger: They’re the ones who didn’t need to fire a shot to get the 26 counties, according to people like you of course, including a Fine Gael president who wasn’t allowed to become Taoiseach because of their civil war record. Look up your history son and then come back to me.

    102
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:15 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: As far as deflecting from the millions of euro worth of environmental damage caused on both sides of the border by “good republicans” go, that’s the weakest effort yet.

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    Mute Ronan Mc
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    Sun 1:17 PM

    @honey badger: who else? Report them, the council says. I’d prefer not to have my car and house burned to the ground, thanks.

    51
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    Mute and the hit's just keep coming
    Favourite and the hit's just keep coming
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    Sun 1:18 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: spoken like a true armchair warrior that has never actually done anything important in life….

    15
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:20 PM

    @Ronan Mc: That’s all well and good, Ronan, but as Brian might say, do you not realise Cromwell sacked Drogheda! ;)

    9
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    Mute Vincent Alexander
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    Sun 1:23 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: Look at the calendar it’s 2025. The current crop of SF politicians referred to these South Armagh smugglers as good republicans. You yourself could read up on the cvs of Slab Murphy or Conor Murphy. The latter could probably name the culprits

    23
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 1:33 PM

    @honey badger: More Irish executed than the British from 1919 to 1921. Those who f9rget thwir history are doomed to repeat it, abandomjng the north to a sectarian state, big republicans indeed. ‘Northern Ireland is a Protestant parliament for a Protestant people. Thomas Murphy, ironic, a man who ensured that the majority of the IRA supported the Good Friday Agreement, shame on you.

    88
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Sun 1:35 PM

    @honey badger: Yawn. If you’re attempting to link this criminality with Sinn Féin, then I’m sure you’ll also link Ireland’s largest crystal meth operation to Fine Gael! Sure weren’t those criminals “good blueshirts” also?

    94
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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Sun 1:35 PM

    @honey badger: Who did Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil come from? Ha ha, stupidity can’t be fixed. But sure a big brave man that’s too afraid to use their real name knows this

    92
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:40 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: Please let me know what any of this has to do with millions of euro worth of environmental damage done by good republicans on either side of the border?! You seem quite confused.

    18
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:44 PM

    @Anthony Curran: You’re the only one who has mentioned Sinn Fein. Very odd. For your piss poor analogy to be accurate, a FG leader would have had to have described the meth guy as a “good blueshirt” after he had been implicated/ convicted of tax evasion and other criminakity in the special criminal court. Next time, think before you type!

    15
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 1:49 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: I’m still waiting for you to explain what millions of euro of environmental damage caused by food republicans has to do with anything you’ve just wasted your own time writing here? Be “a big brave man” and tell the class…

    12
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    Mute james rowan
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    Sun 1:59 PM

    @honey badger: the article does not mention republicans once,so you are spreading disinforamation again,,,

    95
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    Mute honey badger
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    Sun 2:05 PM

    @james rowan: Nope. I asked a question. The house shinners jumped in, so I reminded them that their ” good republicans” have already caused millions of euro of environmental damage to line their grubby trousers. No “disinforamation” here, Jimbo!

    11
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 2:44 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    We did the fighting in the 1920s when it mattered and won, while your lot bottled it.

    4
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 2:53 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    The northern Brigade of the IRA during the civil war marched South and fought on the PRO TREATY side
    because they saw it as a deal they could live with, just like Sinn Fein signed up to the Good Friday Treaty to save what was left of the SF RA .
    You may need to have a chat with your granddaddy and ask him and his mates why they bottled it.

    6
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 2:56 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    You lot bottled it by signing the good Friday treaty. Good bar stool republicans

    3
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 2:59 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy:
    What’s with the English Norman Tory invader name.
    D’Arcy.

    4
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    Mute james rowan
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    Sun 7:25 PM

    @honey badger: you,re first comment was good republicans,i answered you that republicans where not inviolved so you were spreading disinformation,,,

    3
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    Mute Nemethon
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    Sun 1:54 PM

    One of Shinners biggest income generators laundered fuel.

    32
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    Mute H Woo
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    Sun 3:02 PM

    @Nemethon:
    One for me one for Ireland republicans.

    8
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    Mute AnthonyK
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    Sun 1:35 PM

    Smuggling of any sort should carry a mandatory sentence of 20 years in prison with no parole or ability of a judge to lessen the sentence.

    17
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    Mute Paul
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    Sun 4:32 PM

    Good old SF.
    “Good Republicans”

    11
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    Mute Tommy
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    Sun 4:49 PM

    They wouldn’t have to be washing the dye out of the Diesel if it wasn’t so expensive.

    4
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    Mute Pat Barry
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    Sun 5:21 PM

    @Tommy: They buy agricultural green diesel at half the price of regular white, wash it and sell it on and make a profit.
    Everybody could use the green diesel in their cars but of course, with regular roadside checks, will be detected and prosecuted.

    3
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    Mute Kieran Menon
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    Sun 1:36 PM

    Great, now I got Tim Curry’s song stuck in my head… ‘Toxic Love!’ .

    2
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    Mute Pink Freud
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    Sun 5:34 PM

    One would think this would induce a cross-boarder, if not International, movement of Environmentalists to crowd-fund and set up multiple Environmental and Eco’ encampments along the whole entire length of the border, *on both sides of the border,* with an army of Aerial Drones constantly scanning and surveilling a grid of the most rural of roads and laneways and lake+river beds, watching for live dumping and then *following* the dumper back home and reporting them while providing footage of their anti-Ireland, anti-Human, and anti-Wildlife behaviour.

    It seems all the multi-generational hippies and activists of Ireland must have emigrated.
    There seems to be a widespread multi-generational apathy and complete lack of Dissent across the entire island since the Recession.

    There has been no *legitimate* indigenous grassroots activism since the Depressing defeat of the anti-War Movement against illegal Iraq invasion gutted activism and barely mustered the masses against the Troika and Bank Bailout, only to suffer yet another Depressing defeat.

    Ever since which, there has only been *foreign incited* faux “activism” aka the activation of criminal thugs inorganically inciting *violence* on our streets aka feckin’ wholly unwarranted, unjustified, and unprecedented RIOTS against Lockdowns, then Masks, then Vaccines, and eventually against *victims* of War Crimes and actual State Oppression.

    If the illegal invasion of Iraq didn’t induce Riots…
    If Guantanamo, and Shannon, didn’t induce Riots…
    If a bleedin’ Bank Bailout, post-Colonial Evictions, AND post-Colonial erroneous and *foreign-State-incurred* financial debt burdens, didn’t incite RIOTS….

    Then no.
    Petty and highly logical protocols like disease-inhibiting Lockdowns, masks and vaccines, in a heavily *science-educated* society, would never naturally or organically incite even mild protests, nor a grassroots movement, much less a teeny tiny minority activation of RIOTERS.

    Nor would it organically incite civil society to riot against the most vulnerable temporary guests (and a few sneaky exploiters of altruistic laws) in our society.

    Not without *foreign interference.*

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    Mute William Kelly
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    15hours ago

    They hav’nt gone away, y’know!

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