Tests start at Duleek incinerator ahead of September opening

Test runs are due to begin at Ireland's first municipal incinerator at Carranstown, Duleek, this month, as Indaver Ireland gears up for the opening of the facility in September. As the testing phase begins, a small amount of waste will be accepted at the €130 million plant over the coming months and the east Meath plant is expected to be fully operational by next September. The plant will employ 50 people, who are already working on-site. Over 850 people applied for those 50 jobs, which included positions for operators, shift leaders and engineering positions at the controversial facility. The employees are currently undergoing intensive training in preparation for full operation of the facility in three months' time. The Duleek facility represents a €130 million investment. The plant can accept up to 200,000 tonnes of waste and is expected to produce 15mW of electricity, which will be fed to the national grid, representing enough energy to heat over 20,000 homes. Over 300 people were employed in construction at the Carranstown site. The opening of the incinerator will also see the start of the community fund locally. Depending on the annual tonnage into the site, Indaver will donate money towards a fund to be used by the community. At the current capacity, this means an annual fund of €250,000 to the community per annum. One of the first projects it is funding is a public path at Carranstown, which will connect to the existing path into Duleek and will allow safe access for local children to walk to the football pitch. The scheme is managed by Meath County Council and the community liaison committee, comprising local residents, councillors and Indaver representatives. When the incinerator was first mooted by Indaver, it met with a wave of opposition as more than 4,000 individual objections to the original planning application were made and a petition against the plan was signed by 27,000 people. Planning permission for the development was granted by Meath County Council in 2001 and, the following year, Bord Pleanála heard a large number of objections during a lengthy oral hearing, but gave the project the green light in 2003. A further planning application to expand the incinerator was approved by Bord Pleanála in 2007. An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission on Friday for Indaver's proposed €160 million twin incinerator project at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour. However, the company has said it would not rule out re-applying for planning permission for an amended incinerator project for Cork.