Rotten to the Point

25/07/2024

24/07/2024

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Pete Byrne has welcomed planning approval for the building of a major new manufacturing base in Newry for Saica Pack UK Ltd.

We the community of Warrenpoint need to know as rumours have it Warrenpoint Harbour Authority has already got the land at the old Reeds site, and in light of the gas and now the rubbish waste stored at WHA, many feel concerned about what Warrenpoint Harbour Authority would use this for with its bad track record of late. The town certainly doesn't need a Re-Gen Waste or a company like it getting it hands on it either.

The old Reeds Box factory has a very rich history in our town and it would be more than fitting if the community had a bigger say in what happens to it.
Belfast has its Titanic Quarter so maybe Warrenpoint could have something similar, with community space, shops and leisure, a museum on Reeds, and more.

The town needs to grow and not just the port, and at every turn we see councilors, MLA's falling at WHA's feet on anything relating to them, we now want the same time and understanding they get and more.

The town already has gas tanks as an eyesore welcoming people to our town and the gateway to the mournes, foul smells all over the town and noise at all hours, we do not need more of this.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Pete Byrne statement in full here ......

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Cllr Pete Byrne has welcomed planning approval for the building of a major new manufacturing base in Newry.

Approval by Council’s Planning Committee for the proposal from Spanish packaging firm Saica Pack UK Ltd is due to see them relocate from their existing Newry Street Plant in Warrenpoint to a new purpose built factory located within the Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry.

The Spanish owed Saica Group already operates from several sites across the island of Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, and this proposal seeks to develop a new factory for the continued manufacturing of processing recycled paper for corrugated board. The larger Newry based site, close to 475,000 sq ft in size, would enhance the overall working environment and facilitate the potential future growth of the operation.

Following approval at July’s Planning Committee and the subsequent call-in period, Council Chairperson, Cllr Pete Byrne welcomed the planned development. “Our district is already home to a strong concentration of indigenous and international companies,” said Cllr Byrne. “As we continue with our ambitious regeneration plans for Newry City Centre this significant investment is a welcome boost, securing jobs, further boosting business growth within the district, and assisting with the growth of a longstanding company.

“For this Major Application Council worked closely with the applicant, consultees and a range of stakeholders. We wish the applicant every success in the development of their project.”

Cllr Byrne added, “Subject to this development and proposed relocation, the Council welcomes the opportunity for potential brownfield development of the existing site adjacent to Warrenpoint Port and so close to the Town Centre”.

21/07/2024

61 SIGNATURES TO GET TO 500 THIS WEEKEND .....

Folks, please share the online petition to get it to 500 before the weekend is over .. 61 signatures are needed ... we can do this ... https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

19/07/2024

LET'S GET THE ONLINE PETITION TO 500 THIS WEEKEND ....

Getting close to the 500 signatures on the online petition folks , let's get it to the 500 target for this weekend ... Share with family and friends . https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

18/07/2024

REQUEST FOR MEETING WITH MINISTER ....

Rotten to the Point has requested a meeting with the Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir MLA. We must put the strong case of the community's severe concerns to the foul smell, flies and noise coming from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority / Re-Gen Waste. The Minister has had a meeting with others but has not heard the full story of what is happening and what people have to put up with on a daily basis. We did get an email back from the Minister's office that this request is currently under consideration and a response will issue in due course. We will keep you all updated on what happens next, as feel we need to meet the minister as soon as we can.
Please keep signing the petition at https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

14/07/2024

SIGNED THE ONLINE PETITION YET?
Save Our Town, Shut Re-Gen Waste Down!
Get Re-Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

We urge the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Mr Andrew Muir to listen to the fears and concerns of the community of Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough, to call for Re Gen Waste to be removed from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority and to have their licence revoked due to the foul smell/flies / loud noise to a harbour so close to homes and business in the town. We ask the Minister to move this Waste to an unpopulated site and to another harbour that has the capacity and infrastructure and away from populated areas.
We as the community of Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough are asking the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir to Get Re -Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint.

I've signed this petition calling on to remove from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority and to revoke their waste licence due to the foul smell and loud noise - will you sign too?

13/07/2024

ANY WONDER BALES ARE OPENED UP WHEN THE WORKERS DO THIS .....
The latest video footage shows the shocking way that Re-Gen Waste workers take this rubbish off their lorries, without a care that they will split open so near to the waters edge of Carlingford Lough. It is blatant to see that they have no care about what they do overall as a company, in this video you will see that the first 3 bales of rubbish are just being thrown to the ground, which makes you wonder how many more bales of this rubbish is split open on the quayside and stored. Warrenpoint Harbour Authority can now see like the rest of us what way that Re-Gen Waste takes care of this rubbish and the little care they have. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) can now see too with this and other videos that rules are being broken and have to act by revoking the Re-Gen Waste license. Councilors too on the Warrenpoint Harbour Board have to speak out but speak up with the community by saying what we want , Re-Gen Waste has to leave Warrenpoint now.... this cannot continue like this , any other company would have had the book thrown at them by now, and fined heavily etc .. The community wants Re- Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint . We see a pattern happening here all the time of Re-Gen Waste being given the green light to do what it wants ... We need no more soundbites from politicians, we need action and not in a politicians' time frame of dragging it out but in real-time, History will remember who had the communities back with this all .. to those who never spoke out why even be a politician in the first place. Chris Hazzard MP Andrew Muir MLA Councillor Jarlath Tinnelly Councillor Declan McAteer Mark Gibbons Independent RARE - Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment Warrenpoint Community Association Warrenpoint Port Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Northern Ireland Environment Agency Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

12/07/2024

COME OFF THE WHA BOARD TODAY ......
We call on all Newry Mourne Down District Councilors currently sitting on the Warrenpoint Harbour Board and the new councilors to take on their new roles in due course to come off the board and stand with the community. To those who are on the WHA board currently and those who are to take on this role, you are simply in the eyes of the public working for Warrenpoint Harbour Authority by taking the £8,000 and sitting with them. You all were elected by the people and not WHA, to serve the people on a council as councilors. We need to hear from you all, if taking the payment then you stand against the community for trust and transparency....

12/07/2024

Bursting waste bales in Warrenpoint Port at 9am this morning. Time for Re-Gen Waste Ltd to bale out of town?

11/07/2024

AND JUST LIKE THAT .... 10PM TONIGHT
Democracy is dead in South Down. While one area is being cleared to ship, the 40ft trailer loads keep coming down the carriageway from Re-Gen Waste. Looks like Warrenpoint Harbour Authority / Re-Gen Waste is not just playing the community for fools but all the politicians also....

11/07/2024

There we have that word again alleviate, the simple answer to all this is to get Re-Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough, the multi-agency's response to this has been too slow and has dragged this too long to act and playing into Re-Gen Wastes hands supporting them more than a concerned community. Re-Gen Waste has had the time to deal with this and the concerns of the community, but at every turn, they keep failing to even do the basic things right ... This is storage now and not exporting, they lack any respect towards the community by stacking the bales higher and even fresh bales from last night were stacked. The community has had enough and Re-Gen Waste has to leave Warrenpoint. Concerns are also growing over the safety record of Re-Gen Waste with two of their lorries going on fire in recent weeks on motorways, What if the waste at Warrenpoint Harbour Authority went on fire this would have a disastrous effect in Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough and with it stacked so tight and high it would be hard to put out and be a severe risk to fire crews dealing with it. The community will not play this dragged-out timed situation anymore that only benefits Re-Gen Waste to do what it wants, Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, its board, and politicians now have to face up to the fact that a highly motivated community has awoken and will not stop until Re-Gen Waste is out of Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough, that is the end result and no other ... with our online petition / and petitions around the town and volunteers standing outside for 15 hours on polling day collecting signatures, we are committed to ending this as a community and will continue peaceful protest, meetings, etc.

Alliance South Down MLA Andrew McMurray and Slieve Croob Cllr Helena Young met with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir, accompanied by DAERA Officials and other elected representatives, to discuss the ongoing concerns of residents about the odour wi...

11/07/2024

YOU CAN SIGN THE PETITION IN WARRENPOINT TODAY ....

Please keep supporting the petition folks, it is in the following places listed on the poster, let's make our voices heard ...

10/07/2024

A COMMUNITY TOGETHER .... PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION
Thank you to the First and Last Bar at 24, The Square Warrenpoint
, for supporting the community with the petition, when calling in for a drink please sign the petition

10/07/2024

A COMMUNITY TOGETHER .... PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION
Thank you to O'Hares Home Bakery at 2 Dock Street, Warrenpoint
for supporting the community with the petition, when calling in for something to eat please sign the petition

09/07/2024

We welcome the meeting with Minister Andrew Muir by Sinn Féin & Alliance reps today, the multi-agency response in partnership with the local Council, NIEA, and the Public Health Agency to the issues raised today should have been a top priority from the get-go to the Foul Smell / Flies etc that many have to endure in Warrenpoint daily. We now only hope that these multi-agencys agree with the community of Warrenpoint / Carlingford Lough .. The only solution to deliver to this problem is to get Re -Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint. We look forward to our own meeting with the Minister to relay the communities concerns and put the case of the community forward.

Constructive meeting today with Minister Andrew Muir regarding the unacceptable situation at Warrenpoint Port

Sinn Féin & Alliance reps attended the meeting together to relay the community’s frustration that the issue with the foul odour coming from the Port remains

We welcome recognition from the minister that the current situation is not acceptable, and that he will initiate a multi-agency response in partnership with local Council, NIEA, and the Public Health Agency to the issues raised today

Sinn Féin will continue to work with everybody in order to identify and deliver solutions to this problem

09/07/2024

We are hopeful that Hazzard MP will share the outcome of his meeting with NIEA' s Andrew Muir MLA today.

As this section of WHA/Sinn Fein/Re-Gen/NIEA's 2023 timeline suggests, there is definite room for clarification and positive change on the issue of political silence around the Re-Gen Waste Ltd waste stench in Warrenpoint Port.

Thank you for meeting today Chris Hazzard and Andrew Muir, we look forward to your vision for immediate action.

‘31/8/23
NIEA inspection records Re-Gen non compliant for monitoring and control of odours

1/9/23
UTV News quotes Councillor Mark Gibbon on receiving 400 complaints about the smell in just one week.

On the same programme a Re-Gen spokesman is quoted as saying that “authorities found no issue with their operations at the port” and a WHA spokesperson said “It was confident that the issue of the smell appeared to be solved” adding “it had taken steps to prevent it happening again.”

5/9/23
WHA Statement : “Warrenpoint Harbour Authority continues to work very closely with REGEN to resolve the issue of a recent intermittent smell in the Warrenpoint area, as previously highlighted.
We are continuing to monitor the situation and engaging daily with REGEN to ensure the problem is resolved without further delay. Resolution has included independent expert consultation to ensure no other measures could or should be taken.
The statutory authorities have remained engaged throughout the resolution process.”

5/9/23
NIEA inspection records Re-Gen non compliant for “specified operations”

5/9/23
NIEA inspection records Re-Gen non compliant for waste acceptance and control procedures

6/9/23
Despite non-compliance issues, NIEA “modifies” 2019 Licence (from LN/13/35/V2 to LN/13/35/V3) and more than quadruples the permitted annual handling capacity from 116,244 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes per year - the “modification” is signed off, without any signs of consultation, by NIEA’s (unelected) Brian McVeigh.

13/9/23
NIEA inspection records Re-Gen non compliant for monitoring and control of odours

15/9/23
NIEA informs Sinead Ennis MLA of multiple 2023 non-compliances by Re-Gen Waste in Warrenpoint Port and writes :
“These non-compliances are a concern to the NIEA and we are focused on ensuring that Regen
addresses the odor as quickly as possible.”

18/9/23
Rotten to the Point Second Public Meeting The Duke, Warrenpoint
WHA invited but do not attend.
Attendees include MLA Patrick Brown, Councillors Mark Gibbons Independent and Jarlath Tinnelly Independent.
Despite being alerted to NIEA’s concerns 3 days earlier, South Down Sinn Féin DO NOT ATTEND or share the NIEA information. ‘

Meanwhile, in 2024, the stench and leakages of the waste operation continue to poison our people and our lough.

There is a simple solution and you can sign here if you agree with the almost 2000 people who have already signed on paper and online.

https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

08/07/2024

SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY .. WITH THE PETITION
Please PM us at www.facebook.com/rottentothepoint/ or email [email protected] if you would like to have a petition to support your community.

08/07/2024

Please sign the online petition today .. Thank you https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

07/07/2024

Before the votes were counted, 1.5k Warrenpoint area people aged from 7 to 99 had heard enough, seen enough and smelt enough to sign the petition for positive change and clean air. Please consider adding your name to theirs now!

https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

07/07/2024

A COMMUNITY TOGETHER .... PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION
Thank you to Linda’s Super Shop at 22 Duke St, Warrenpoint
for supporting the community with the petition, when calling in for your few items please sign the petition.

06/07/2024

A COMMUNITY TOGETHER .... PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION

Thank you to The Duke Off Sales at 11 Duke Street, Warrenpoint
for supporting the community with the petition, when calling in for your drinks please sign the petition.

06/07/2024

Please keep signing and sharing the online petition ....

I've signed this petition calling on to remove from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority and to revoke their waste licence due to the foul smell and loud noise - will you sign too?

06/07/2024

A COMMUNITY TOGETHER .... PLEASE SUPPORT THE PETITION

Thank you to the Bric Bagel & Coffee House at 6 Charlotte Street Warrenpoint for supporting the community with the petition, please call in and get yourself a coffee and some lovely food and please sign the petition.

05/07/2024

THANK YOU .....
Well done to everyone who signed the petitions at both polling stations yesterday and gave their support with 1,300 signatures that support your community. A massive thank you to all our volunteers who stood for hours on end and even all day from 7am -.10pm to make sure we got our voices heard at both polling stations.
The petition had its youngest signature of 7 years of age right up to an amazing 99-year-old lady, and the support of people was outstanding and everyone shared what ordeals they were all going through with the foul smell / flies and noise from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority / Re-Gen Waste.
We continue with the petition as it is now in Lindas Shop on Duke Street /Bric Bagel & Coffee House 6 Charlotte Street / The Duke Off Sales 11 Duke Street ... and it will be in more shops etc in the coming days, and week.
The petition is also online so please keep signing and sharing with family and friends https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint

04/07/2024

03/07/2024

PLEASE PUT YOUR SIGNATURE DOWN ...
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint
Support your fellow townsfolk badly affected by the foul stink / Files coming from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority / Re-Gen Waste .... GET RE-GEN WASTE OUT OF WARRENPOINT ... Please share

03/07/2024

Give Frank a call into his show and tell him of the stink/flies...Frank Mitchell () / X. U105 Radio Presenter. Take part in U105 phone-in any weekday from 9am. Call 02890333105.

03/07/2024

STILL LOOKING A FEW MORE VOLUNTEERS FOLKS ...
CAN YOU GIVE AN HOUR FOR THE COMMUNITY
LOOKING VOLUNTEERS FOR PETITION ON POLLING DAY.....
With strong smells being reported by the community this evening, we need to come together for our fellow townsfolk suffering this.
Looking for volunteers to help out with the petition on polling day Thursday 4th July from 7am -10pm to get Re-Gen Waste out of Warrenpoint .
If you can support the petition by volunteering and collecting signatures, please get in touch with us by PM or emailing [email protected] a time you can be at a polling station and time you can give to be added to a rota. We have two polling stations to cover so please add either Townhall or Great Georges St . Let's support our community ......please share

03/07/2024

Great interview by RARE - Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment on the streets of Warrenpoint today ... remember folks sign the petition here https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint Northern Ireland Environment Agency Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Andrew Muir MLA

03/07/2024

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD .......

REPORT ON THE FOUL SMELL COMING FROM WARRENPOINT HARBOUR AUTHORITY / RE-GEN WASTE AND SIGN THE PETITION

Let's build up a case by reporting on the foul smell that has been a disgrace coming from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority / Re-Gen Waste which is at an all-time high now.

Northern Ireland Environment Agency
reporting complaints relating to authorised waste facilities holding either Waste Management Licences or Pollution Prevention and Control Permits
Email : [email protected]........................................................................................................................................
Newry Mourne and Down District Council
Environmental Health Department
On the foul smell coming from Warrenpoint Harbour Authority
Email : [email protected] Phone : 0330 137 4024
We will be asking both orgs for the records on the volume of emails and calls on the smell issue they get at a later date
.....................................................................................................................................
Sign the online petition Here https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/get-re-gen-waste-out-of-warrenpoint