Thousands of tonnes of liquid waste would be processed at Nobber plant

Thousands of tonnes of waste liquids, including sludge from wastewater treatment plants, will be among the material being disposed of at College Proteins in Nobber if the company gets to green light for its combined heat and power plant. The closing days of the recent Bord Pleanala oral hearing into the incinerator plant heard details of some of the liquid material which it was intended to process at the controversial complex. Gavin Lawlor of Tom Philips & Associates, on behalf of College Proteins, said that the details of the source of the liquid waste was commercially sensitive and that there was concern from companies that College Proteins will be dealing with on the supply of the material that their names would not be disclosed. Barrister for North-East Against Incineration, Oisin Collins, asked how it was possible to justify a development without specifying the quantities and types of liquid wastes it was planned to dispose of. Mr Lawlor said that they propose to dispose of 14,000 tonnes of spent grain from Dublin which is currently being disposed of in an ESB power station in the west of Ireland. Mr Collins questioned Mr Lawlor on the reliability of the source when Mr Lawlor would not disclose the source name to him or to An Bord Pleanala. He said: "We have to take your word for it that 14,000 tonnes will be available." Mr Lawlor, without detailing the company name, added that 1,000 tonnes of sludge from a wastewater treatment plant in Monaghan would be supplied to be processed, as well as 20,000 tonnes of sludge from wastewater treatment plants in meat factories in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan. He said this material is currently being disposed of in category 1 rendering plants. Mr Lawlor said that there will also be 5,000 tonnes of grease trap wastes and 5,000 tonnes of waste cooking oils, both from Dublin and Louth. Sources were identified but he said he would not disclose them to the hearing. He said there is a genuine commercial sensitivity in not disclosing the sources as it is a highly competitive market with only four category 1 rendering plants in the country. Mr Collins asked why these waste streams would come to Nobber over any other similar processing plant. Mr Lawlor said that this would be based on price. Mr Collins responded by arguing that the only guarantee of the supply of this material is to undercut all the other similar facilities in the market and he argued that this is not a clear indication of a reliable steady supply of material to the proposed facility. Mr Collins said that the aim is "to make yourselves much more attractive to customers by creating a price war with your competitors". Mr Collins said there is no guarantee that College Proteins would win this price war and asked what would happen then to the facility. CEO of College Proteins John Gilroy said that the proposal is sustainable and the supply of material reliable. "Our plant will be more economical," he said, adding that the company has its own transport for delivery of the material. He said there is always the possibility of price wars but that "we will offer the most efficient facility". On the reliability of supply, he said they enter into contracts with clients regarding supply.