Waterford Councils fined for breaking waste rules

Waterford City and County Councils have both been fined for breaching conditions of waste management licences granted to them by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Waterford City Council was fined E6,000 while Waterford County Council was ordered to pay E4,000 for offences under Section 39 of the Waste Management Act, 1996-2003 at Waterford Circuit Court.
The charges included the illegal dumping of waste and the failure to install infrastructure for the collection and flaring of landfill gas at the Kilbarry and Tramore landfills. Both landfills are now closed.

Breege Rooney, an inspector with the Office of Environmental Enforcement, stated that the flaring of explosive methane and explosive carbon dioxide gases had not taken place at the landfill in Kilbarry.
A leachate management rainfall system, needed under the licence conditions, had not been installed. Over 100 tonnes had been put on site before the licensing period. The site was in operation for around 30 years.
Paul Daly, senior engineer with the environmental section of Waterford County Council, stated that income from the landfill was funding the remediation.