LOCALS AIR CONCERNS OVER CARRICKMACROSS SLUDGE DUMPING

By PATSY McARDLE
FARMERS and other residents in the South Monaghan area have expressed strong condemnation over the dumping last week of diesel sludge—a product of illicit fuel laundering by racketeers—on the Crossmaglen Road outside Carrickmacross.
Last week, a Monaghan county council environment team was called to deal with a possible pollution threat posed by the illicit dumping.
The emergency clearance operation was necessary to prevent diesel sludge—the substance left after a fuel “doctoring” operation to remove colouring from tax-rebated fuel so that it can be sold at the higher price which applies to commercial diesel—from seeping into waterways or farmland.
The sludge was dumped in huge polythene-type containers near an entranceway along the main road, a short distance from Carrickmacross town.
There were some early fears of huge contamination of water supplies, or nearby grassland from seepage from the dumping, in view of the close proximity of a river but these were allayed by the prompt and effective County Council action.
Patrick McKenna, an outdoor staff spokesman for Carrickmacross Town Council said they had immediately alerted Monaghan County Council of the serious threat which the illicit dumping posed for the area
He said it was imperative the sludge was removed immediately before any serious pollution could be caused by seepage
He added this was the latest in a series of illicit sludge dumping by fuel laundering gangs in the Border counties over the past two years.
Full report in The Northern Standard