Dublin City Council has claimed that the risk of a major incident at the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg is minimal, and that the risks to people in the vicinity are remote.
In a series of submissions to An Bord Pleanála about the project, the council provided additional information on a range of issues assessing the hazards relating to a major accident at the plant.
It identified the risk of an aircraft crashing into the facility as being a one in 50 million chance.
The report states that the chances of a major fire in the waste bunkers was remote and that in such an event, there was a negligible risk to humans. "The risk posed to human health by dioxin inhalation from a fire in the waste bunker is deemed to be insignificant," the submission stated.
However, it acknowledges that the storage of large amounts of diesel on the site could pose a hazard in the event of a failure of the tank, and if ignited could spread throughout the facility.
It also identifies the storage of liquid gas at the proposed facility as posing a similar fire threat but states that adequate safety measures are planned to make such an event highly unlikely.
The report also states that the risk of an explosion in the boiler part of the incinerator from rogue objects was unlikely. The risk of flooding was remote, the report added, and it posed no safety hazard for humans.
However, local groups opposing the incinerator said the submissions showed serious shortcomings in the proposal, and did not contain sufficient information to reassure that the risk of a major incident was remote.
Damien Cassidy of the Ringsend/Irishtown Environment Group said that some safety estimates for the plant could not be provided as requested. "This plant is both dangerous and premature," he said.
The council had originally submitted a hazard assessment to the Health and Safety Authority last July, but the authority sought additional information on the chances of a major accident on the site. This was then submitted to An Bord Pleanála two weeks ago and was published yesterday at its request.
Meanwhile, there is still no indication as to the future involvement in the project of the private firm which won the contract to design, build and operate the facility, Elsam, which is now owned by Danish Oil and Natural Gas. The company has sought significant changes to the financial arrangements for the contract, which have been refused by the council. Officials have maintained that the project will still go ahead as planned.