A massive clean-up is underway after a truck carrying hazardous waste overturned on the main Dublin to Derry road.
A section of road remains closed in County Louth while specialist waste removal crews deal with the situation.
Louth County Council confirmed that staff from its Environment and Roads departments are currently onsite at Knocknacleva / Funshog with An Garda Síochána.
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They said they were there “to oversee a major clean-up following spillage from an overturned lorry. The material contains among other items battery acid, and barrels of oil, and is considered to be of a significant volume.”
The council and Gardai attended the scene last night and the road was closed from around 9pm, “due to the potential hazardous nature of the spillage.”
The council also said that the Fire Service have been assisting to classify material and “it has been determined that much of it falls under the category of hazardous waste, which requires removal by specialist waste removal crews, who have been onsite from 8a.m. this morning.”
“Once the area is cleared, mechanical excavators may be utilised to dig and remove any affected bank areas to prevent seepage to lands.”
Motorists are asked to avoid the area so the work can be safely carried out.
Diversions are in place at the junction of N2 and L2253 road to Philipstown on the Ardee side and at the junction of the N2 and R169 road to Dunleer on the Collon side.
There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident.
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