An investigation is under way into reports that large quantities of asbestos are among the hundreds of tonnes of illegal waste dumped at a site outside Derry.
It emerged in 2013 that 516,000 tonnes of waste had been dumped near the River Faughan in Mobuoy, when it was described as the largest illegal dump ever found in Ireland.
Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan has warned the clean-up figure could rise to as much as £100m.
However, there are new fears about what exactly has been dumped at the site after it was confirmed that an investigation is underway into allegations that asbestos is among the waste material deposited in the area.
The news was revealed at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Health and Community Committee.
At the meeting, a council officer told elected members that a website had been developed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to update the general public on regarding the Mobuoy Waste Site Project.
He added the website ‘details the nature and extent of waste illegally disposed of at the Mobuoy waste site and the Department of Environment's (DOE) approach for making decisions in the assessment and management of contamination at the site’.
Seamus Donaghy, Head of Health, Community and Wellbeing with the council, it was aware of the allegations regarding asbestos at the site, and both the DOE and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency were investigating the matter.
The website can be viewed at www.doeni.gov.uk/publications/mobuoy-road-waste-project
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