Plans for former landfill site still being considered

The future of the former Marlinstown landfill outside Mullingar was discussed at the January meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District members.

Cllr Mick Dollard inquired what the MD plans to do with the disused landfill site. Located three kilometres to the east of Mullingar in the southwest corner of Marlinstown Bog, the facility occupies an area of around 22 acres, most of which was used for landfill.

Westmeath County Council are still required by the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out environmental monitoring at Marlinstown landfill and to submit half-yearly reports to them.

The monitoring covers methane and carbon dioxide discharge, as well as groundwater analysis. The old landfill is adjacent to the Marlinstown Bog. A strip of coniferous plantation separates the site from the bog area, while the adjoining land is pastureland.

Marlinstown landfill ceased to accept waste in December 2002, having previously operated since 1963.

In their reply, the executive said the Environment Section of the local authority advised that Westmeath County Council are currently licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency to continue to monitor Marlinstown until at least 2041: “Further environmental assessments at that time will determine what happens next regarding any future monitoring requirements thereafter.”

They said in the meantime Westmeath County Council had given the Mullingar Sustainable Energy Committee approval to investigate the use of a large portion of the site as a solar farm: “Unfortunately, grid connection difficulties have proved to be an impasse at this juncture,” Cllr Dollard was told.

Separately, Westmeath County Council sought a feasibility study to investigate the outdoor recreational facility potential at the landfill site: “While a number of potential options were identified, there were a number of constraints such as health and safety and access difficulties that need to be considered, along with economical and financial considerations, prior to any key decisions being made in the future,” the council said.