PR Unit

Press Release issued 17.07.08

CYLINDERS CONTAINING HYDROGEN CYANIDE (HCN) HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY CHEMICALLY NEUTRALISED

17^th July 2008

South Dublin County Council has successfully chemically neutralised seven cylinders containing agricultural fumigant (Hydrogen Cyanide/HCN) that were stored at pest control company Rentokil. A US company, Integrated Environmental Services (IES), specialists in on-site management of waste compressed gas cylinders undertook the project at a County Council owned compound at Grange Castle, Co Dublin. There was no risk to the public. The nearby golf course was closed during the neutralising process. No explosives were used. Four IES personnel travelled from Atlanta and using specialist equipment flown in from the US, carried out the safe disposal procedure.

We are delighted with the way IES conducted the process. We were satisfied from the start, that the content of the cylinders could be disposed of safely, without risk to the public and we can confirm this now, said John Quinlivan, Senior Executive Officer, South Dublin County Council. It had been intended to utilise the Army rifle range in Co Wicklow and to use explosives to dispose of the contents of the cylinders, but when IES x-rayed the cylinders, they found they were substantially more stable than was anticipated and recommended the first option should be to chemically neutralise the contents of the cylinders, If explosives were required for any of the seven cylinders, the rifle range site would also have been used. In the event, that wasnt necessary and all seven cylinders were successfully neutralised using chemicals.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was kept advised of details of the work plan in advance of the operation, and was satisfied with the course of action proposed in respect of protection of human health and the environment.

Air, soil and water monitoring was carried out by RPS Environmental Consultants before, during and after the work. All waste associated with the process has been taken off site and will be exported to a hazardous waste disposal facility.

We are used to dealing with HCN Cylinders so this was a standard job for us, said Jeffrey Gold, Project Manager, IES, As usual we took full precautions and put in place all safety measures.

The local authority, in its position as waste authority was acting on a request from Rentokil for assistance in disposing safely of the seven cylinders. HCN was a common chemical used by pest controllers until late in 2006.

IES was introduced to South Dublin County Council by RPS Environmental Consultants. IES lists the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US and Canadian Governments among its clients. They have extensive experience and specialised expertise in eliminating the worlds most hazardous materials. The firm holds 34 patents related to remediation, reclamation and processing of high hazard materials. These patents cover techniques and specialist equipment developed by IES for use in the disposal of hazardous materials including HCN.

South Dublin County Council would like to thank the Elected members of the Council, the Gardai, the EPA, the Health and Safety Authority, the HSE, the Dublin Fire Service, the Depts of Defence and Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Wicklow County Council and Rentokil for their co-operation throughout this project, from when South Dublin County Council was first requested, as waste authority, to become the lead agency on this project. We also want to sincerely thank the people of Manor Kilbride.

South Dublin County Council will publish details of the work done by IES as part of a Case History and will make this freely available to other local authorities and the other agencies.

South Dublin County Council can be contacted at 1800 30 33 00, email ccounter@sdublincoco.ie or at www.southdublin.ie.

ENDS