Massive operation to clear 70,000 tonne unathuorised dump continues
ANN CASEY
The €5.3million task of removing 70,000 tonnes of waste from an unauthorised dump at Timoole, Rathfeigh will take nine months to complete, a meeting of Navan Municipal District heard last week.
Major challanges facing the contractors, as highlighted by this spectacular drone photo, include deep excavation, the culverting of a stream to prevent leachate, management of leachates and landfill gases as well as a confined working area and restricted access route.
Around 90 trucks a day will remove waste from the site and the importation of clean soil and stone will commence shortly.
"There are speed limits of 20kph on the cul de sac to the site and no HGV traffic will use that road between 8.30 and 9am," Caroline Corrigan of Meath County Council told last week's meeting of the Municipal Council.
The meeting heard waste is being brought to the Knockharley landfill site four miles away, which has the built capacity to accept the Timoole waste.
In a statement Meath County Council said:
"Work is progressing well on the project with waste extraction and clean material placement taking place simultaneously, approximately 1,050 loads of waste have now left the site and 140 loads of clean material have been imported, placed and compacted. Clean material is coming from a number of sites in Meath and Dublin environs and has been tested to ensure it is suitable for infill.
"The first inter-agency working group meeting took place on Friday with HSE, Fire Service and Civil Defence represented, this group will meet quarterly and communicate regularly. The Steering Group also met on site this week, on Monday, the group also visited Knockharley.
"House surveys are currently being distributed to local residents as well as a newsletter update on the works. To date local stakeholders have had no significant issue with the works and associated traffic, there were some very minor complaints and these were addressed quickly, locals have also been advised to report any issues relating to the traffic e.g. speeding, and the majority have been complementary to the courtesy they are shown on the road.