Super Dump for North County Dublin

A licence has been granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a highly controversial 'superdump' in the Lusk area of Fingal in north County Dublin. The licence contains over 250 conditions relating to the environmental management, operation and monitoring of the facility. Chief amongst these stipulations is a requirement for all waste to be pre-treated and for odour controls to be strictly enforced.

Authorities have sought to compromise with local residents by reducing the annual landfill capacity from 500,000 to 300,000 tonnes; the remainder is to be sent to the equally controversial incinerator at Poolbeg near Dublin Port, which is yet to open.

The Lusk site faces fierce opposition from locals who claim that a large groundwater source exists. Representatives from the area's thriving horticultural industry fear that any leak from the dump would cause untold damage to the farms which supply over half the country's vegetables.