Tag Archives: asbestos

ASBESTOS removal works, to be carried out by Clare County Council at sites in West Clare, have been described as “significant” and “in the millions”, in terms of the cost. Council CEO Pat Dowling disclosed that information at the monthly local authority meeting, where he also gave a public assurance that there is no immediate risk at any site. The CEO’s remarks followed a question, on the likely costs from West Clare Councillor Cillian Murphy. The Kilkee-based member noted that the council’s monthly management report referred to the assessment of tenders for remediation of sites with Asbestos Containing Material (ACM). “This is an issue we continually report on,” Mr Dowling said. “The cost will be significant, in the millions. “Right now, I want to reassure the public that there is no immediate danger to public health. The sites are maintained in a safe condition.” Senior Engineer Seán Lenihan said tenders are currently being assessed for consultants who will oversee and …

THE ENVIRONMENTAL protection agency has revealed that a file concerning Clare County Council’s disposal of asbestos-containing wastes at a number of West Clare sites remains open, pending further local authority works. Clare councillors passed the 2018 Budget Estimates recently, in the knowledge that the council was still not able to make a financial provision for the cost of properly disposing of asbestos-cement materials from six unauthorised sites in Kilkee and three in Kilrush. Estimates vary from €1.5 to €3.3 million for the disposal of material, which was first reported to the local authority by Kilkee resident PJ Linnane in June 2013. It is understood that the exact cost will depend on whether the council has to remove all this material or whether it is allowed to remediate the different sites. Asbestos waste material disposal is governed by legal requirements and the requirements of the HSA and the EPA. Responding to Clare Champion queries, the EPA outlined that it has a …

THE ongoing saga over the start of phase two of the asbestos pipe removal in Kilkee took a further twist on Wednesday, when Kilkee resident PJ Linnane told The Clare Champion that Clare County Council had agreed to give residents the contractors method statement relating to how contractors proposed to remove the asbestos pipes. Last week, the council had explained it could not present a copy of the method statement to residents due to commercial concerns. Mr Linnane maintains that phase two is due to start on Monday next, having been postponed from last Monday. “Clare County Council have finally agreed to give us the method statement risk assessment on phase two of the asbestos removal. As it is now the 11th hour and phase two is starting on Monday, June 14, we haven’t yet received the documents,” Mr Linanne said. In a statement last week, Clare County Council said a medical report received by the local authority and made …

WORK due to begin today (Monday) on phase two of the asbestos pipe clean up operation in Kilkee has been postponed until Wednesday at the earliest. Talks are currently ongoing between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Clare County Council and the HSE regarding the provision of a “method statement” to local residents. Last week, Kilkee resident PJ Linnane said that unless residents living close to the dump sites were provided with a full method statement by Clare County Council, they would stop contractors from starting phase two of the clean up work on Monday. “I met with some of the locals and a decision was taken that if the council were not to provide us with the documents, the only option open to us was to bar the site on Monday and lock and chain the access to the contractors,” he told The Clare Champion. A  report completed last year concluded that the instances of asbestos pipe dumping at a number of …

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has “reservations” with the method statement for phase two of the clean-up operation of asbestos pipes at a disused reservoir near a Kilkee man’s home, it has been claimed. PJ Linnane said unless residents living close to the dump sites are provided with a full method statement by Clare County Council, they will stop contractors from starting phase two of the clean-up work on Monday (tomorrow). “I met with some of the locals over the weekend and a decision was taken that if the council does not provide us with the documents, the only option open to us is to bar the site on Monday and lock and chain the access to the contractors,” he said. Clare County Council said in a statement that a medical report received by the local authority and made publicly available states there is “no evidence of risk” to the public, arising from the current state of the sites in …

Kilkee resident PJ Linnane, who lives close to a site where Clare County Council dumped asbestos, has told The Clare Champion that the local authority is considering screening people who may have come into contact with asbestos dump sites. “I was informed at my last meeting with Clare County Council that they are now considering screening members of the public affected by the dumping of the asbestos, as well as staff involved in picking it up,” Mr Linnane said this week. It has also emerged that the council has yet to decide if an independent report on the asbestos dumping in West Clare will be made public. Mr Linnane claimed the report is complete but Clare County Council has flatly denied this. He claimed the independent investigation into the dumping at 10 sites in West Clare, carried out by retired South Tipperary county manager Ned O’Connor and retired Cork County engineer Ned Flynn, has been completed. “I have been advised …

Dan Danaher Exclusive PEOPLE living near nine asbestos dumps in West Clare should not attempt to examine or remove it, an Ennis pensioner, who has contracted the life-limiting asbestosis disease, warned this week. Seventy-nine-year-old, Cyril Quinn made the call, as Clare County Council continues its investigations into the alleged dumping of asbestos on public and private lands in Kilrush and Kilkee. Mr Quinn stressed that only personnel who were qualified to remove dangerous substances should be allowed to handle asbestos, once they were dressed from head to toe in protective clothing. Cyril requires an oygen supply practically on a 24-hour basis and needs to go on a nebuliser four times a day. His sitting room had to be converted into a bedroom as he is no longer able to climb his stairs. He said a neighbour of his died from asbestosis, while it has also claimed the lives of other Irish people who were working with asbestos in England down …

  CLARE County Council has confirmed that it has commissioned an external independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the depositing of asbestos-cement materials at a number of sites throughout West Clare. The council says it has informed the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) of its intention to remove the hazardous waste material from nine separate locations in the vicinity of Kilrush and Kilkee. A specialist asbestos consultant has been engaged by the council to advise the authority on the removal of the materials. West Clare county councillors have been informed about the process while the council has confirmed it will be liasing with members of the public living in the vicinity of the affected sites about the remedial works that are due to take place. “Clare County Council’s environment section received a complaint from a member of the public last June regarding a number of areas where asbestos waste materials were deposited. The council has since identified nine sites where …