Call for urgent environmental action at Limerick refuse dump

By Marcas Mac Ruairí

THE Sinn Féin candidate in the Limerick East by-election has called for the city Corporation to adopt a new strategy to tackle the city's growing refuse problem.

Expressing concern about the problem, Jenny Shapland said: ``The Long Pavement dump is growing at an alarming rate and is now estimated to be well over 40 feet high.

``Sinn Féin first exposed the fact that this dump, which handles all the refuse for Limerick city, is operating illegally in 1990. However, the campiagn to improve waste management in the city has to date failed to produce any positive action from the Corporation.''

Expressing particular concern for the welfare of a group of travelling families living in the shadow of the dump, Jenny continued: ``During the summer the area of the dump and its vicinity will be swarming with flies and bluebottles and the pungent smell created by such large quantities of decaying refuse will invade homes as far as half a mile away.

``This poses obvious threats for the health of the community through contamination of food and is a particular hazard for the travelling community.

``Added to this difficulty is a rat problem which affects the halting site where six families share just one running water point.

``Pollution from the dump has even made its way into the River Shannon. At one part of the river, at Corbally, swimming is prohibited due to the pollution.''

``Limerick Corporation must adopt a positive policy on recycling accompanied by appropriate educational steps to ensure the maximum potential for the success of any environmental protection startegy.

``It is only through such a comprehensive programme which would involve kerbside collections, compositing and recycling and involving both consumers and industry, that this problem can be tackled.

``If steps are not taken as a matter of urgency, this problem will haunt Limerick for generations to come,'' she said.