Wakefield: Police and Environment Agency take action at ‘stinking’ waste site
Police and Environment Agency officers have carried out checks at a waste site that is subject to a suspension notice.
The notice served on Minore, also known as Mineral Processing Ltd, means its environmental permit does not currently authorise waste to be brought on to the site at Hacking Lane, South Elmsall.
It also requires the staged removal of waste that had been brought onto the site by the operator in breach of its permit conditions.
Minore has applied to Wakefield Council to continue using the site at Hacking Lane for ten more years.
More than 400 residents in the town have objected to the proposals, claiming a “putrid smell” and pollution from the land pose a danger to public health.
The Environment Agency (EA) said breaches of the permit had led to an increased risk of pollution, including the potential for odour, “which has been impacting on the local community over recent months.”
On Tuesday, EA officers, together with West Yorkshire Police, followed up on concerns raised by the community about vehicles still arriving at the site while the suspension notice is in force.
The operation was to monitor vehicle movements to and from the site.
A spokesperson for the regulator said no vehicles arrived while officers were present but they would continue to act upon information received.
The notice does not prevent non-waste products being imported.
The spokesperson said: “We understand the impact the odour from this site is having on the community and our increased regulatory response continues.
“This includes ongoing odour monitoring and regular site inspections, as well as action to proactively monitor vehicle movements at the site while the suspension notice is in force.
“During our inspections of the site, breaches of the environmental permit conditions and suspension notice have been identified, and we are assessing all our enforcement options.”
Minore has appealed the suspension notice via the Planning Inspectorate and decision is yet to be issued.
The suspension notice remains in force while the decision is pending.
If an operator does not comply with a suspension notice then it is committing an offence.
The EA said handheld gas analysers were being used at the site to monitor air quality, including the presence of hydrogen sulphide.
A mobile monitoring facility has also been installed nearby for a four-month period.
The regulator is working closely with Wakefield Council, which is responsible for ensuring planning conditions are complied with.
A spokesperson for Minore previously said: “We prioritise the highest environmental standards to protect human health, well-being and local eco-systems.
“We have invested significant resources to protect the environment in which we operate, monitoring water and air quality, along with odour control and litter management, to maintain a safe and healthy environment.
“We work diligently to maintain compliance with environmental regulations requirements while helping our customers across multiple sectors advance their sustainability goals and environmental initiatives.”