Irish Cement and local residents kept waiting on hazardous waste burning

An Bord Pleanála, Ireland's Planning Board, has said they need more time to decide on the planning permission granted to Irish Cement to enable it burn hazardous waste as a power source at its manufacturing plant in Mungret.

In March Limerick City and County Council approved a EUR10m plan by Irish Cement that would allow the company burn up to 115 types of hazardous material, including animal tissue waste, at its Limerick plant. The council planners granted permission for the company to burn hazardous substances, including end-of-life tyres, as fuel at its plant in Castlemungret, Co Limerick, provided it adhered to strict conditions.

The decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála, who held an oral hearing in Limerick last August when local residents highlighted concerns over emissions as well as risks to health and the local environment.