Sludge plant gets go ahead despite inspector’s report

Date Published: 04-Aug-2010

by Harry Casey

A sludge treatment plant has been given the go ahead in Ballinasloe by An Bord Pleanala despite a recommendation from its own Inspector that the project be refused planning permission.

The decision has been described as “appalling” by the Ballinasloe Environmental Alliance who were among 31 objectors to the original planning application lodged by OneBio Ltd over two years ago, and subsequently turned down by Ballinasloe Town Council.

However, last week’s overturning of both the decisions of the Town Council and An Bord Pleanala’s own Inspector not to give planning permission for a facility that will be accommodated on a site adjacent to the existing Premier Proteins meat rendering plant, is certain to provoke an outcry among residents of the town who have voiced their opposition to the proposal at a number of public meetings.

In deciding not to accept their own Inspector’s recommendation to refuse permission, An Bord Pleanala said that it “had regard to the Operational Sludge Management Plan for Galway City and County, 2009, and noted that Ballinasloe is identified as a sludge hub for the county”.

OneBio Ltd had sought permission to process 30,000 tonnes of wet sewage sludge annually from waste water treatment plants throughout Connacht and neighbouring midland counties, in addition to sludge from private industry.

This wet sludge will be reduced to dry sludge by means of a thermal drying process, and the end product can then be used for a variety of purposes, either as a fertiliser or organic soil improver, or as a potential fuel source.

A special waste permit licence will have to be issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the operation of the sludge drying facility which will create just three new jobs.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.