Report on the Objections and Oral Hearing on the Proposed Decision of a Waste Licence Application For Fingal County Council Nevitt Lusk Co. Dublin Register No. W0231-01 Main Report July 2008 Report by: Patrick Byrne Assisted by: Kealan Reynolds & Bruce Misstear Register No. W0231-01 Acknowledgements Kealan Reynolds, Bruce Misstear and myself would like to acknowledge and thank all the administrative staff of the Licensing Unit who organised the oral hearing, disseminated all the necessary information and carried out all the other tasks associated with the running of the oral hearing and preparation of this report. I would like to note my sincere appreciation for the assistance provided by Mr Kealan Reynolds (EPA) and Mr Bruce Misstear (TCD) who acted as Assistant Chairmen at the oral hearing and assisted in the preparation of this report. Finally I would like to thank the Applicant, Objection Parties and the local residents who attended and participated in the oral hearing, for their courtesy and contributions. 2 Register No. W0231-01 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction............................................................................................... 3 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Oral Hearing ................................................................................................... 4 1.3 An Bord Pleanala ........................................................................................... 5 1.4 Compulsory Purchase Process and Property .................................................. 6 1.5 Scope of this Report ....................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Review of Evidence ................................................................................... 7 2.1 Waste Policy and Related Issues .................................................................... 7 2.1.1 Waste Policy and Hierarchy ................................................................... 7 2.1.2 Need for the Facility .............................................................................. 8 2.1.3 Annual Intake ......................................................................................... 9 2.1.4 Waste Treatment .................................................................................. 11 2.1.5 Acceptance of Bottom Ash .................................................................. 13 2.1.6 Acceptance of Sludge .......................................................................... 14 2.2 Relevant Legislation .................................................................................... 14 2.2.1 Landfill Directive ................................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Groundwater Directive/Water Framework Directive .......................... 16 2.2.3 Waste Management Acts 1996 to 2008 ............................................... 18 2.2.4 Waste Management (Licensing) Regulations 2004 to 2008 ................ 18 2.2.5 Environmental Protection Agency Acts 1992 to 2007 ........................ 19 2.2.6 Environmental Impact Assessment Directive ...................................... 19 2.2.7 Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive ................................... 21 2.2.8 Access to Information on the Environment ......................................... 21 2.2.9 Precautionary Principle ........................................................................ 22 2.3 Hydrogeology .............................................................................................. 23 2.3.1 Geology ................................................................................................ 23 2.3.2 Groundwater Vulnerability .................................................................. 26 2.3.3 Aquifer Classification .......................................................................... 28 2.3.4 Protection of Existing Groundwater Sources ....................................... 30 2.3.5 Conceptual Model and Risk Assessment ............................................. 34 2.3.6 Future Groundwater Development Potential ....................................... 38 2.4 Surface Water/Leachate Management/Geotechnical Issues ........................ 42 2.4.1 Emissions to Surface Water ................................................................. 42 2.4.2 Leachate Management ......................................................................... 43 2.4.3 Geotechnical Issues .............................................................................. 45 2.5 Potential Odour, Nuisance and Health Impacts ........................................... 46 2.5.1 Landfill Gas and Odour Emissions ...................................................... 46 2.5.2 Dust Emissions ..................................................................................... 48 2.5.3 Birds ..................................................................................................... 49 2.5.4 Fire ....................................................................................................... 49 2.5.5 Health ................................................................................................... 50 2.6 Archaeology ................................................................................................. 51 2.7 Horticultural Industry ................................................................................... 51 2.8 Enforcement ................................................................................................. 52 2.9 Existing Landfill .......................................................................................... 53 2.9.1 Government Policy (WIR 04/05) ......................................................... 53 2.9.2 Quantity of Waste ................................................................................ 55 2.9.3 Classification of Waste ........................................................................ 55 1 Register No. W0231-01 2.9.4 Current Status ....................................................................................... 57 2.9.5 Archaeological Issues .......................................................................... 58 2.9.6 Comparison of Existing Landfill to Illegal/Unauthorised Landfills .... 58 2.9.7 Risk Assessment .................................................................................. 60 2.9.8 Environmental Aspects of Remediation .............................................. 61 Chapter 3 Consideration of Specific Licence Conditions ...................................... 63 3.1 Condition 2.2.2.8 .......................................................................................... 63 3.2 Condition 2.2.2.9 .......................................................................................... 63 3.3 Condition 3.7.1(ii) ........................................................................................ 63 3.4 Condition 3.7.1(iii) ....................................................................................... 64 3.5 Condition 3.7.2 ............................................................................................. 64 3.6 Condition 3.13.2 ........................................................................................... 65 3.7 Condition 3.14.1 ........................................................................................... 66 3.8 Condition 3.15.1 ........................................................................................... 66 3.9 Condition 3.15.3 ........................................................................................... 66 3.10 Condition 3.24 .............................................................................................. 66 3.11 Condition 3.25.1 ........................................................................................... 67 3.12 Condition 3.27 .............................................................................................. 67 3.13 Condition 3.28 .............................................................................................. 68 3.14 Condition 6.2.2 ............................................................................................. 68 3.15 Condition 6.25 .............................................................................................. 68 3.16 Condition 6.4.4 ............................................................................................. 68 3.17 Condition 6.6.1 ............................................................................................. 69 3.18 Condition 6.6.5 ............................................................................................. 70 3.19 Condition 6.13.1 ........................................................................................... 70 3.20 Condition 6.15.3 ........................................................................................... 71 3.21 Condition 6.31 .............................................................................................. 71 3.22 Condition 6.34 .............................................................................................. 71 3.23 Condition 6.35.1 ........................................................................................... 72 3.24 Condition 8.1.2 ............................................................................................. 72 3.25 Schedule B 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