Landfill site operator hit with enforcement notice after breaches

The operator of a landfill site blamed for the ‘stench’ blighting a nearby village has been hit with an enforcement notice for breaching its environmental permit.

Ken Skates MS and local councillor David A Bithell met senior Natural Resources Wales (NRW) representatives in December to discuss residents’ complaints about foul smells from the Hafod site in Johnstown, near Wrexham.

The operator of the site, Enovert, was subsequently issued with an enforcement notice for contraventions of its operating permit, which included odour and landfill gas management requirements.

The notice, issued to the company on December 21, also ruled the company had failed to suitably manage levels of leachate – contaminated liquids.

Both politicians say they’ll be ‘seeking further sanctions’ if things don’t improve.

Actions

Cllr Bithell said: “The site operator was given timescales on eight actions which require attention, some by the end of January. These included temporary capping of parts of the site, gas well improvements and providing NRW key documentation on how these can address local concerns.

“The site stench has become unacceptable.”

Mr Skates and Cllr Bithell held a follow-up meeting with NRW yesterday (Thursday).

Cllr Bithell added: “We were also informed of inadequate arrangements of the wheel wash facility and mud on the road. Whilst NRW is the site regulator, I have also raised with the council if odours constitute a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

“If the site operator fails to comply with the notice, we will be seeking further sanctions.”

Mr Skates, MS for Clwyd South, said: “We’re grateful to NRW for listening and for taking swift action after our meeting last month. I hope this provides some reassurances to local people.

“We said during our last meeting that this can’t be allowed to continue and we made it clear we needed to see some action, so I’m pleased we are now seeing something being done. We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Mr Skates and Cllr Bithell previously called for Enovert to hold an open day for residents to voice their concerns and hear what plans the company is putting in place to try to improve the situation.

Both are encouraging residents to keep reporting issues to NRW by contacting the 24/7 Incident Communication Centre on 03000 65 3000.