Incinerator study ``hypocritical'' - Ó Caoláin
A government plan for a study on the health effects of waste incinerators and landfill sites has been described as ``hypocritical'' by Cavan/Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.
Environment and Local Government Minister Noel Dempsey has announced that the Health Research Board has agreed to commission a study to identify and evaluate the effects on public health and the environment of waste incinerators and landfill. Commenting on this, Ó Caoláin said:
``Minister Dempsey only commissioned this study after he took away the waste management powers of local authorities in order to ensure that incinerators are built in every region. This is a hypocritical exercise. Why was such a study not undertaken before regional waste management plans were drawn up?
``This is an effort by the minister to defuse opposition to his incinerator plans. He should take note that in ignoring the views of local communities and stripping their elected representatives of democratic powers, he has fuelled opposition to incinerators.
``Plans for incinerators should be scrapped and the viable alternatives developed as a matter of urgency. If the minister fails to do this he will worsen the waste crisis, as growing public opposition delays or stops incinerators while the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste continues to be neglected.''
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