Inert waste recovery facility mooted for Brideswell

What's described as an “inert waste recovery facility” could be in offing for the Brideswell area of South Roscommon, according to newly-submitted plans.

Leading building materials company Roadstone Limited signalled their intentions to seek approval for a waste recovery facility at Knocknanool, Brideswell as part of an application to Roscommon County Council on December 7 last. The proposal is earmarked within an area of six hectares.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, inert waste is defined as waste that doesn't undergo “significant physical, chemical or biological transformations” and will not “dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter, including waters”. It can cover things like soil, stones or rock, etc.

The project will cover the proposed “restoration of the sand pit” by backfilling “up to 190,000 tonnes” of “imported inert natural materials, principally excess soil, stones and/or broken rock to partially fill and restore a disturbed landform created by previous extraction of sand and gravel,” according to the planning documents.

“The lands will be filled using only inert soil and stone materials imported from external, preapproved development sites.

The partial restoration of the former extraction area is considered desirable as it will reduce the overall development footprint of the sand pit and facilitate the return of the area to long-term rough grazing use/natural habitat,” according to the project description in the Environmental Impact Assessment, lodged in support of the proposal.

It added that the development will be completed within nine years which includes a restoration period of up to two years.

Only soil and stone waste carried by authorised waste collectors will be accepted at the proposed soil recovery facility under a strictly controlled approval and permitting system, it stressed, adding that the maximum accepted on a yearly basis would be 99,000 tonnes, equivalent to 80 loads a week or 22 per week.

Roadstone said that, the proposed backfilling operations, would require a minimum of two people on-site during working hours and the soils used for the final restoration will stockpiled on-site over the period of the backfilling and recovery operations.

Following the the cessation of waste recovery activities, the area would be restored to grassland or other agricultural use by placing natural subsoil and topsoil over the backfilled soil and stone.

Proposed infrastructure for the waste recovery facility, including, a site office, staff welfare facilities, weighbridge, wheelwash, hardstand areas, waste inspection and quarantine facility and covered shed also form part of the planning application.

The main entrance to the site will be via an existing access from the R363 regional road, the main Athlone to Tuam road. The main infilling activities would happen approximately 350m from the junction with the R363 and are accessed via an internal road.

Roadstone is a founding company of the CRH Group, one of the world’s leading building materials companies, headquartered in Ireland.

The sustained expansion of CRH as a group, since its foundation in 1970, has seen the company expanding its business interest into 31 countries and which serves all segments of construction industry demand.

Roscommon County Council is expected to give a verdict on the inert waste recovery plan by February 9 next.