The radioactive waste dumped at a Derry City Council landfill site in Culmore over 30 years ago poses no health threats, local councillors have been told,
Culmore Point.
SDLP Councillor Angela Dobbins expressed her relief after Environment Minister Mark H Durkan, who had ordered an Environment Agency report into the dumping, allayed fears of residents at an emergency meeting of the City Council’s Environmental Services Committee.
State papers released last week showed that between 1977 and 1982 radioactive material was disposed at a Derry City Council landfill site at Culmore Point adjacent to the River Foyle just outside the city as well at a site in Duncrue Street in north Belfast.
The papers said controlled burials of radioactive waste came from hospital and university sources.
Mr Durkan told Environment Committee members the dumped material had come from Altnagelvin Hospital where it had been held to allow radioactivity to decay.
Mr Durkan added no further radioactive waste was deposited at the site after 1983-84,
Councillors heard the Western Health and Social Services Board (WHSSB) was authorised to dump radioactive waste at the site from 1978.
Mr Durkan said: “To date the information provided suggests that no material was sent to Culmore after 1983/84.
“The material that was deposited originated from Altnagelvin Hospital and had been held at the hospital premises to allow radioactivity to decay.
“The appropriate precautions were taken for the disposal of the material. It is not considered that any contamination can remain.”
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Dobbins said the information provided was “very positive.”
She added: “Assurances from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Environment Minister Mark H Durkan have allayed the fears that the radioactive waste disposed in the Culmore landfill site poses no threat to residents, public or the environment.’
She concluded: “The final report form the NIEA was completed is to be completed in the next few weeks.”
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