The Ballydonagh landfill site may not close for another six months, despite predictions last year that it should be closed by this March.
Cllr Gabrielle McFadden expressed disappointment this week at the news that the site has not yet reached its capacity and is unable to close this month as planned.
“It was proposed to close it in March, and we have told people it will be closed. It is disappointing,” she said at this week’s Athlone Area meeting.
Director of services Barry Kehoe explained that the facility cannot be closed until it has reached its capacity of 15,000 tonnes, which it is hoped will be within the next six months.
“The space has to be full to close it over and put a shape on it. When 15,000 tonnes come in the gate, we will close it and it won’t open again. At the time of the last estimate we were taking in way more rubbish. It is dependent on private business waste, and we can’t force them in.”
Mr Kehoe also assured councillors that everything possible is being done to encourage private operators to bring their waste to the site.
“We have dropped our prices in the last couple of months to be competitive, in order that we can close it as soon as possible. Our objective is to fill it as quickly as possible,” he said.
