Two illegal diesel laundering plants have been uncovered in Co Louth so far in 2021, Revenue has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

In 2020, two fuel laundries were detected by Revenue in Co Monaghan.

Monaghan Fire and Civil Protection attended an illegal laundering plant fire north of Oram village in February 2020.

Monaghan County Council staff assisted in the removal of 6800kg of residue from a plant in Ardaghey in December.

Dumped diesel

A total of 12 incidents of diesel wash residue dumping occurred in the county during 2020, Monaghan County Council told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“Approximately 41,000kg of waste was collected from these 12 locations prior to removal to an appropriately licensed waste facility,” a spokesperson for the council said.

“To date in 2021 there have been four instances of dumped diesel waste residue dealt with by Monaghan County Council. At these four sites approximately 7,000kg of waste has been removed.”

The wash residue is a byproduct of the diesel-laundering process in which criminals remove the dye from agricultural diesel in order to sell it as road fuel.

It is estimated the waste costs approximately €1,000/t to treat.