‘Anonymous’ group told to stay off Mobuoy illegal dump site
A government department has warned a group of activists who have embarked on a clean-up of a massive illegal dump that they risk worsening the situation by “trespassing” on the site.
A local branch of the international activist group known as “Anonymous” entered the Mobuoy Road waste site on the outskirts of the city to begin a clean-up of the area.
A spokesperson for the group said it could not “stand by and allow the destruction” of the surrounding environment as a result of the illegal waste, 516,000 tonnes in total, left at the site on the outskirts of the city.
However, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs(DAERA), formerly known as a the Department of Environment (DoE), issued a statement where it ‘strongly discouraged’ anyone from entering the Mobuoy site.
“We would strongly discourage anyone from any kind of involvement at the Mobuoy Road waste site, and there are a number of significant factors in doing so,” the spokesperson said, before outlining why people should stay away from the site.
“Dealing with illegal controlled waste or any other landfill site requires strict health and safety measures.
“There are risks, for example, of harmful gasses arising and leachates migrating, particularly when the ground is disturbed.
“Added to this is the potential for unintentional harm to the environment through interference with pollution pathways which are already being monitored.”
The spokesperson added that anyone involved in removing waste from the site must hold a waste management licence, and warned that they may be committing an offence if the carry out a clean-up “without proper authorisation.”
“There are further matters of potential trespass arising,” the spokesperson added.
The DAERA spokesperson added that “extensive monitoring” of the Mobuoy Road waste site has shown ‘no evidence of any adverse impact’ on either the water quality of the drinking water supply to Derry or to the water quality of the River Faughan.
The spokesperson also revealed that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has spent £1.2 million in addressing the City Industrial Waste Site.
“This has included removing leachate, completing an extensive risk assessment of the waste site and managing surface water run-off where necessary,” the spokesperson continued.
“It also includes an assessment of the risks in protecting water quality of the River Faughan which will report in autumn 2016. “The outcome will determine the level of clean-up that the remediation needs to achieve to protect water quality in the river.”
The spokesperson added the final cost of the clean-up operation will be paid by those responsible for the illegal dumping in the first place.
“The remediation strategy will be subsequently implemented using the principles of ‘polluter pays’,” the spokesperson added.
“However, it should be emphasised that this will be a very complex and time-consuming project.”
With regards to the River Faughan, the spokesperson added that the Environment Agency (NIEA) “remains vigilant in this respect and is continuing to work closely with NI Water to ensure that all necessary safeguards continue to be in place.”