Landfill site reopens after huge fire

A fire broke out at Walleys Quarry in Staffordshire on Sunday

A landfill site that has been the subject of complaints over obnoxious smells has reopened following a large fire.

The blaze broke out at Walleys Quarry in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme, at about 22:00 BST on Sunday and fire crews remained on site until it was put out on Tuesday.

The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but the Environment Agency (EA) said it was contained to an area of deposited waste and the landfill’s infrastructure was not affected.

Walleys Quarry Ltd said waste deliveries restarted on Wednesday.

In a statement posted on the company’s website, Walleys Quarry thanked Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service for its work.

"We also acknowledge that this will have been disruptive for the community around Walleys Quarry and we apologise for this along with thanking residents for their understanding," a spokesperson added.

The Environment Agency said the fire involved an area of freshly deposited waste

The firm said an investigation was under way to identify the cause and the fire service said it would continue to inspect the site over the coming days.

The EA said the fire involved an area of waste measuring about 25 cubic metres (883 cubic feet).

"We are satisfied that the fire was contained to the surface of an area of freshly deposited waste," a spokesperson said.

"Following assessment, officers were able to confirm that the existing landfill infrastructure, including gas extraction system and capping were all unaffected by the fire."

The EA has been monitoring the site for several years amid residents’ complaints about foul odours from the landfill.

Walleys Quarry previously said the company carried out measures to "ensure that odour risks are managed, minimised and eradicated".