At least 8,000 tonnes of hospital waste have been found in Co Wicklow, and the clean-up costs could run to several million pounds.
Environmental experts confirmed to Wicklow’s county councillors today that 8,000 tonnes of waste had been detected at Donard. Investigations around Baltinglass and Blessington indicate the possiblity of four further illegal dumping sites.
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The final figure for the amount of material found is likely to be more than 8,000 tonnes - with a figure of 200,000 tonnes being mentioned.
Used surgical material such as swabs, bandages and tubes along with patient records and letters from consultants have been discovered at a number of sites in the county over the past five weeks.
The Irish Timesreported this morning that legal proceedings are being taken against a number of people allegedly involved in the dumping of waste at Coolnamadra, near Donard, last month.
There has been a political outcry at the scale of the illegal dumping, with the Labour Party calling for the use of legislation that allows for fines of up to £10 million.
Wicklow Fine Gael TD Mr Billy Timmons called for every dumping site in the county to be checked because "relatively innocent mounds of topsoil may conceal hazardous substances underneath".
"It would be naïve to think that further hospital waste will not be uncovered," he said.
The Labour Party’s Mr Eamon Gilmore called for the full use of penalties provided for in the 1996 Waste Management Act to be used against those found guilty of illegal dumping.
"If cases were brought to a higher court, the conviction on indictment carries fines of up to £10 million or prison sentences of up to 10 years," Mr Gilmore said.
"In addition, if the offence is committed by a 'body corporate', the directors, managers and officers of the company can be held to be personally liable and can also be sentenced to prison. The cost of bringing the case, including the cost of investigating the dumping, can also be charged to the person found guilty of dumping," he said.