Letter - Sunday Business Post - 18 March 2007
State should run waste policy

Susan Mitchell’s article on hazardous waste costs (SBP 11/3/07) allowed John Ahern of Indaver to claim hazardous waste would cost as little as €10 a tonne if it was managed locally, but typically costs about €100 a tonne, due to the transport costs involved.

This only underpins the unsustainability of the industry of incineration. Lobbying costs a lot of money, and I am sure the costs incurred must seem worth it to Indaver, to be allowed to have a monopoly tolling toxic waste industry in the south of Ireland, and another tolling waste industry in Meath.

What has not been included in the equation is the cost of C02 emissions.

Kyoto credits were running at €17 per tonne last year. The excess CO2 tonnage emitted by Meath, Dublin and Cork, and their future costs, have to be scrutinised, as must the cost of the disposal, transport and treatment of bottom ash, be it exported or land filled.

Letting any commercial industry direct our waste policy is dangerous and costly.

Mamie Bowen, Monkstown, Co Cork