Racehorse trainer's fears over emissions from Nobber plant

One of County Meath's best-known racehorse trainers has spoken of his concerns over the proposal to build an incinerator outside Nobber and the impact it would have on some of the thoroughbreds he trains. Noel Meade, based at Castletown, told a Bord Pleanala oral hearing into the plan by College Proteins to build a plant on its land, that his concerns stemmed from the effect the emissions would have on the environment and how this would affect the performance and progress of a horse. He said horses are equine athletes and everything has to be 100 per cent with them. Mr Meade is one of Ireland's best-known trainers and has trained up to 160 racehorses during the last 30 years. He stressed that many of the tests which have been done relating to emissions from the proposed incinerator only deal with the effect on human beings. There has been no tests done on the effects of emissions on horses. Emissions, he pedicted, will have a huge impact on soil and water. He said the fact that the incinerator will be located so near to his business will be detrimental in that horse-owners would be less likely to keep a horse for training in the area. He said he was worried also about the effects polluting emissions will have on the air. "My vets tell me that gases from emissions are the most dangerous aspect," he added. He said that the respiratory system of a horse is the hardest thing to keep right and they require constant monitoring. Any change in air quality will be detrimental. He said that horses, like any athletes, can only perform at their best when the environmental circumstances are perfect. The oral hearing into the application by College Proteins for its meat and bonemeal (MBM) combined heat and power plant continued this week in the Nuremore Hotel, Carrickmacross, having opened last week. College Proteins CEO John Gilroy contested statements that the company is unable to manage the current plant. He said: "We are a well-run organisation. We hold management meetings every Tuesday from 9am till 12.30pm." He also detailed employee training and development programmes. He added that College Proteins take all complaints very seriously, whether from customers, clients or neighbours. "Each complaint is logged and sent to relevant department supervisor," said Mr Gilroy. He discussed the transport of the MBM which "is transported in sealed containers, the sealing and appropriate certification of which is verified by the Department of Agriculture". He said that liquids will be transported in sealed containers. On the subject of the transport of fly ash from the incinerator, he said it was intended to engage a firm of licensed hazardous waste hauliers to transport the product for shipping. Fly ash will be contained within the correct tankers, he said. Concerning the production of electricity through the burning process, he said it is "envisaged that a 20kV line will be used from the College site to the substation in Kingscourt".