'Incinerator' proposed for site near Offaly county town

A WASTE treatment plant involving a process classed as incineration is being proposed for an existing building outside Tullamore.

Glanpower Ltd has got the all clear to bypass the planners in Offaly County Council and have its project considered by An Coimisiun Pleanala.

The plant does not have to negotiate the first local hurdle because it has been deemed a strategic infrastructure development by the planning commission.

Back in 2011 permission was granted for an industrial facility to accommodate an advanced pyrolysis system for the recovery of energy from biomass and waste.

An inspector with An Coimisiun Pleanala has reported that use was not put into effect and the building remains vacant.

Now, the company is planning a much larger facility which would have permission to take in up to 200,000 tonnes of non hazardous waste each year instead of 75,000 as was previously permitted.

What is known as a Commercially Robust Advanced Thermal Technology plant for kerbside waste waste is proposed, using modern syngas production and combustion systems to generate 11.64 megawatts of electricity.

It will have an ash bunker and a flue gas emissions stack about 40 metres above ground level.

While the process involved is “the thermal treatment of waste by way of gasification”, the inspector said he was satisfied it would be consistent with the definition of 'waste incinerator plant' because substances resulting from the treatment are subsequently incinerated.

The inspector was also satisfied the development is one which has been identified at a national level as being of strategic economic and social importance to the state or region.

“I consider that the benefits and effects of the development would extend beyond the administrative boundaries of Offaly County Council. Therefore, I am satisfied that the proposed development would have a significant effect on the area of more than one planning authority,” the inspector wrote.