'Major issue' over security at one of Europe's largest illegal dumps
BBCCouncillors have called for urgent action to secure the site of what has been described as one of the largest illegal dumps in Europe.
The contaminated Mobuoy dump at Campsie in County Londonderry was discovered in 2013 and was used to bury thousands of tonnes of rubbish at a site of more than 100 acres of land.
Two men were jailed last year for what a judge described as "environmental crime on an industrial scale".
Concerns have been raised about security at the site, with reports of people breaking in, fly-tipping and engaging in anti-social behaviour.
Derry City and Strabane District Council has passed a motion calling for steps to be taken to prevent unauthorised access, including perimeter fencing and security cameras.
In a statement, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) said it does not own or control the site but is working with the police and other agencies on the issue.
A spokesperson said anti-social activity should be reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The agency warned members of the public should not enter the area, including the former City Industrial Waste and Campsie Sand and Gravel sites, for their own safety and to protect the environment.
BBC News NI has also contacted NI Water for comment.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme on Thursday, councillor Declan Norris said he was particularly concerned about fly-tipping - the illegal dumping of household or commercial waste - at the site.
Norris said padlocks were still being tampered with and people continue to gain access to the site.
"There needs to be far better security at the site," he said.
"This has been going on for far too long."
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Alderman Janice Montgomery said the Mobuoy site "represents the most serious environmental and public safety issue that we face".
She said "decisive action" was needed to tackle anti-social behaviour on the site.
'We need to see robust action'
DUP Alderman Julie Middleton described Mobuoy as a "major, major issue".
"While there has been no major water incident as yet, who is to know when that could happen, so we need to see robust action and urgently."
People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin described the Mobuoy dump site as "one of the biggest scandals" that exists on the island of Ireland and Europe.
He said he was "absolutely astonished that the site is still not secure".
What was dumped at Mobuoy?
The area of polluted ground stretches to about 100 acres, or the equivalent of about 65 - 70 football pitches.
Investigations indicate that an estimated 1.6m tonnes of waste is present at the site, some 627,000 tonnes of which was believed to have been dumped illegally.
Some of the rubbish dates back as far as the 1960s but the illegal waste was linked to two businessmen who were jailed for their role in the scandal last year.
Gerard Farmer, 56, of Westlake in Derry, was jailed for 21 months in June and his co-defendant - Paul Doherty, 67, of Culmore Road, Londonderry, was jailed for a year.
Both men had pleaded guilty to waste offences carried out between 2011 and 2013.
The rubbish was deposited across two parcels of land used by their firms - the Campsie Sand and Gravel company and the City Industrial Waste firm.
The judge at Londonderry Crown Court said both defendants had "acted deliberately" and been "entirely motivated by financial gain".
The court was told that the amount of waste illegally disposed of could potentially have generated £30m for Doherty's company, Campsie Sand & Gravel Ltd.
For Farmer's firm, City Industrial Waste Ltd, the potential sum was more than £13m.
