Businesses complain of odours from waste plant

The WERS Waste facility is located adjacent to the River Clare and a number of neighbouring businesses – one of which is owned by Galway City Mayor Noel Larkin who has a number of complaints about the running of the operation.

And the Mayor said that there were foul odours emitting from the waste plant and there were occasions when they were forced to clear out the staff from their premises because the smells made them physically ill.

Recently the owners of WERS Waste were granted planning permission for the retention of an industrial building at the Weir Road Business Park, Tuam which will be solely for the purpose of dry waste recycling. It was subject to thirteen conditions being complied with.

It was a condition that waste types like biodegradable food or garden materials, hazardous waste and liquid waste like sludge cannot be accepted at the building.

But this is now the subject of an appeal from both Tuam Anglers Association and neighbouring Larkin Engineering of which Mayor Larkin is the Managing Director.

It is alleged by the angling association that the waste company have not complied with conditions relating to the granting of previous planning permissions.

WERS Waste employs 55 people and that 30 of those are located at the Weir Road and a further 25 are operating out of a site on the Galway Road out of Tuam. The planning report states that there are only 19 car parking spaces at the operation and that this is not sufficient given the number of employees.

However, Galway County Council ruled that given that the site is zoned for industrial use, the planning authority considers it appropriate to grant permission subject to conditions being complied with.

Richard Jordan representing Tuam Anglers Association has lodged an appeal to this decision and alleges that the company had not complied with conditions of previous planning permissions.

He also said that they developed an embankment along the river bank that was left in such a rough condition that it is impossible for anglers to safely fish this part of the river.

Noel Larkin has also appealed this decision and said that the lack of parking at the facility results in trucks, awaiting the weighbridge in WERS Waste, pulling up outside his premises – and he described this as creating an unsightly image.

He also said that the lack of parking causes articulated lorries from turning on his property and that this causes serious risk to customers and also raises insurance issues.

With regard to the smells coming from the waste collection facility, he said that after many complaints, Galway County Council intervened and the problem shifted to the evenings and Saturdays which still affected their weekend shifts.

“We do not have to tolerate such vile odours emitting from our next-door neighbours. After years of trying to prevent such odours without success, the problem will persist into the future if retention is granted,” Mayor Larkin added.

A decision on the planning appeal is due around the middle of April next year.