The Environment Agency has made changes to an operator's
environmental permit to reduce odour issues at Jameson Road
landfill.
The variation to operator Transwaste's permit means the company
can now only accept waste types that are unlikely to produce
smells, such as inert waste like soil, concrete and bricks.
The step has been taken to restrict the amount of household waste
on site – waste that is the cause of smells – while work to
permanently cover the site is ongoing.
The variation also includes a new requirement for the operator to
submit plans for and install continuous hydrogen sulphide
monitoring technology.
The air quality monitoring would be installed at four or more
monitoring locations around the landfill site's boundary and
would be monitored and maintained by Transwaste.
John Neville, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency,
said:
The community should not have to tolerate odour pollution and we
have made this clear to Transwaste.
This permit variation will reduce future odour risk by preventing
wastes being landfilled that cause the odour experienced by the
community.
We continue to press the operator to permanently cap two landfill
cells as quickly as possible to control odour. If we do not see
improvements, we will not hesitate to take further action.
Officers are on the ground actively monitoring the situation at
the landfill.
Transwaste can appeal against the Environment Agency's permit
variation to the Planning Inspectorate. If it does appeal, the
variation will remain in place until the Planning Inspector makes
a decision.
On 7 May, the Environment Agency also issued a new Regulation 36
enforcement notice to ensure the operator focuses on putting
temporary capping on the southern area of Cell 6 to reduce
odours.
Further information on the site can be found at the Jameson
Road landfill engagement page.