Contamination on Haulbowline island

Cork Harbour website 30/6/08

Local Cork company Louis J O Regan Ltd., have raised the issue of contamination on Haulbowline Island at the old Irish Steel works while carrying out remedial works on the site. Louis J O Regan Ltd were contracted to remove 15,000 tonnes of waste from the surface but soon revealed large amounts of potentially toxic waste, including Chromium 6, regarded as the second most dangerous carcinogenic known in the world. This issue has received widespread media attention in the last week. Concerns have been expressed by environmental groups within the harbour, by local residents and local politicians. Statutory bodies with responsibilities for monitoring the clean up of the site, including the EPA and Cork County Council, have confirmed that the clean up process is being conducted in a controlled manner. Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, has said that an independent assessment of the process is to be carried out.

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