Lawlor Soil Recovery Facility

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Lawler Soil Recovery Facility

MKO was commissioned by Noel Lawler Sand & Gravel Ltd. to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) to accompany a planning application for the infilling of a quarry void to return the land to beneficial use. MKO was also commissioned to prepare a Waste Licence application for the licensable activities on site. MKO acted as overall project manager, responsible for preparing the EIAR, planning application and Waste Licence application. Planning permission for the infilling was obtained in March 2023. The EPA is currently reviewing the Water Licence application.

Project challenges

The geological and hydrogeological conditions beneath the site were complex. The site is underlain by Limestone Sands and Gravel, Sandstone and Shale Till and Limestone Till overlying the Kipperkevin Formation and the Carrighill Formation. Based on the ground investigation undertaken at the site, a ‘High’ groundwater vulnerability rating applies to the south of the site, and an ‘extreme’ groundwater vulnerability rating is applicable to the north of the site. Infilling the site with inert material was considered a good approach to lowering the vulnerability rating, i.e., providing better aquifer protection in the long term.

MKO prepared the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) to document the current state of the environment in the vicinity of the proposed development site and quantify the likely significant effects of the proposed development on the environment. MKO and the project teams detailed understanding of the ground conditions allowed us to support the quarry operator in overcoming the hydrological and hydrogeological challenges at the site. The assessments undertaken considered the effect of the quarry operation with respect to groundwater and impacts and concluded that all effects were assessed as not significant.