THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Agency will award a €40 million licence that will see a toxic waste dump turned into a park.

The EPA has told the Minister for Agriculture of their proposed decision to grant a waste licence for the remediation of East Tip site at Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour.

Minister Simon Coveney TD welcomed the notification, which will clear up the former steel plant on the site.

The 22-acre dump at Haulbowline Island, which was previously the site of Irish Ispat – and before that, Irish Steel – carries waste and slag left behind from the steel works which continued there for over six decades.

“We look forward to the EPAs final approved decision being issued in due course, while respecting the provisions for objections provided for, which should pave the way for Cork County Council to commence the detailed design and execution phase of the core remediation work at Haulbowline Island in the near future.

“I have been determined that this project will proceed with minimal delays and the hard work which has gone on behind the scenes by both Cork County Council and my own Department has enabled substantial progress to be made this year.

“The whole of Island approach adopted is now bringing rapid results.”

Coveney added that the the works would “bring substantial benefits to the local economy” and would transform the island “into a genuine national infrastructural asset”.

Famed campaigner Erin Brockovich had previously called for the dump to be cleaned, owing to the potential presence of chromium VI there – the same chemical which had caused the contamination of drinking water in the campaign she is most known for.

Read: Threats of EU fine prompts clean-up of toxic Cork dump

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