Serious concerns have been raised over the contaminated former Avon site in Portarlington.
Cancer-causing chemicals are believed to remain at the site, 18 years after the factory shut its doors.
The Environmental Proctection Agency (EPA) has monitored the land from 2000 to 2013. Their report showed an “extensive” presence of industrial solvents such as trichloroethenes (TCEs), which are known carcinogens.
The solvents were found in bedrock groundwater at the site, which used to manufacture cosmetics, jewellery and soap.
The land was rejected for community use last year and cllr Aidan Mullins has again called for a clean-up of the land.
He asked for an update at the latest Graiguecullen-Portarlington municipal district meeting, and was dissatisfied with the response.
Not our responsibilty
In a one-line written response, head of finance Gerry Murphy said that the EPA is in charge of regulating the site.
Cllr Mullins replied: “That response is saying that Laois County Council has nothing to do with the place, so move along and go to the EPA. I don’t see it that way. There is a serious issue here.
It could be water contamination or ground contamination, but we are aware that there is contamination there. Since the tests were done, people have not been made aware of the outcome,” he said.
Cllr Mullins added that both the county council and the EPA were aware of the contamination and he wanted to know what was being done about it.
The EPA sent a letter to Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley last November, which states that they found, “extensive chlorinated solvent contamination”, mainly TCEs and smaller amount of TCAs in bedrock groundwater.
In 2003, all residents and landowners within a 500-metre radius down-gradient of the contamination were made aware that the groundwater was not suitable drinking, farm animals or commerical use.
The site on the Canal Road has changed ownership several times, from a developer to NAMA to Capita Assets.
Cllr Mullins said, “I want to know what efforts are being made regarding remediation of this site, especially in view of a new school being built only 50 metres across the road. I don’t want to be alarmist. It may be quite safe but we need to know.”
Senior engineer John Ormond replied, saying that water to the new St Patrick’s NS will be piped from the town’s supply.
Cllr Tom Mulhall backed cllr Mullins statement and said, “It has been lying idle for years, but the last thing you want is a health and safety issue with any development on this site. We need to make it a safe and workable site.”
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