EPA submits final clean up plan for Kerdiffstown dump

There is no end in sight to the huge clean up operation at Kerdiffstown dump, outside Naas.

The multi million euro project, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, has been ongoing for about two years.

It was launched after a series underground fires send smoke billowing skywards and intensified a stench over all of Naas and parts of Sallins, Johnstown, Clane and Kill in early 2011.

The EPA has met with local people and politicians and this follows a series of recommendations made about the plans to make the site safe.

Smells from the site are now a rarity but there is a need to ensure that no pollution emanates from the dump and into water courses, some of which feed the River Liffey.

Since the clean up began more than 100 holes have bene drilled at the dump and on surrounding land and thousands of samples have been taken to assess the scale of the problem and the best way of “remediating” the site.

The EPA said that three options have been put forward involving “various elements such an engineered cap, leachate containment and landfill gas collection and treatment.”

These options have been forwarded to the Department of the Environment, where the report is being technically assessed.

To date some €6.3m has been spent at Kerdiffstown and while the final bill is not known early estimates suggested the final bill may reach €50m.

-Paul O’Meara