On 1 February 2006 Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) officers visited lands adjacent to Fort Road, Belleeks, Newry in response to complaints of unauthorised waste disposal. They observed a significant quantity of mixed household municipal waste deposited in the farm yard, waste which contained numerous addresses from the Republic of Ireland and Republic of Ireland newspapers.
On a second visit on 9 February 2006 the waste in the farm yard had been removed. An area of freshly disturbed ground was visible in a field adjacent to the yard with household waste scattered on the surface. On 23 February 2006 an intrusive survey of the lands farmed by Mr McCullough at Fort Road, Belleeks was carried out by EHS officers. This revealed that the waste previously deposited in the farmyard had been buried in one of the fields.
On 16 January 2007, Cork City Council excavated and removed 224 tonnes of mixed biodegradable waste and contaminated soil from land at Fort Road, Belleeks. Disposing of this waste in a licensed facility in the Republic cost Cork City council €26,935. This figure is the disposal costs only and does not cover the costs associated with the excavation and transport of the waste. This money has still not been recovered by Cork City Council.
Notes to Editors:
Donald McCullough was fined under the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997 as follows;
- £500 under one count of Article 4 (1)(a) of depositing controlled waste or knowingly causing or permitting controlled waste to be deposited on land without a waste management licence.
- £500 under one count of Article 4 (1)(b) of treating, keeping or disposing of controlled waste on land without a waste management licence.
- £750 under one count of Article 4 (1)(c) of keeping or disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment.
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