Emissions from the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg would not have a significant impact on the environment, an oral hearing on the project was told yesterday.
Edward Porter, environmental consultant with AWN Consulting, said the results of models showing the dispersion of emissions from the plant demonstrated that no air quality standards would be exceeded.
"Ground level concentrations will be below the relevant air quality standards or guidelines for all compounds emitted from the facility even under abnormal operating conditions," he said.
He said the operators of the facility would monitor nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide levels at two locations near the site for 12 months before and during operation, to confirm the accuracy of the study models.
Mr Porter acknowledged that shoreline fumigation - when fumes from a stack drop rapidly to the ground - can occur in certain weather conditions. But, he said, even under these infrequent meteorological conditions, the short-term air quality standards would not be exceeded.
The hearing, chaired by An Bord Pleanála inspector Pádraic Thornton, was told by Andrew Buroni, senior health impact assessment consultant with RPS, that it was unlikely the proposed facility would have any measurable negative health effect on local communities.
He said "existing burdens of poor health" in the local community were a symptom of "socio-economic status and lifestyle".
And while this might result in the local communities exhibiting "sensitivity to environmental and economic effects", they would be equally sensitive to health gains.
"Health benefits of the facility include moderate yet important improvements through potential employment opportunities, the provision of future district heating, complementing local regeneration efforts and more importantly, the provision of a community gain fund," he said.
Mr Buroni said the majority of community concerns raised reflected misunderstanding of the concepts of hazard and risk. He said that in addition to general emissions on air quality, specific concerns about odour were raised. "The proposed facility will store and handle all waste deliveries within the facility, working in a negative pressure environment," he said.
"As a consequence, odour emissions are contained within the proposed facility and unlikely to present a risk of community annoyance."
