Motion urges inquiry over waste site regulation

Councillors expressed concerns about the regulation of the site

A public inquiry should be held into the regulation of a landfill site in Rotherham, councillors have said.

The Grange Landfill site at Kimberworth, also known as Droppingwell Tip, closed in the 1990s and contains toxic industrial waste.

Councillors said the Environment Agency's (EA) decision to vary the site's historic permit in 2016 without consultation allowed for the potential reopening of the landfill despite contamination.

They expressed concerns the EA had failed to properly enforce safety rules. The EA said: "We remain committed to ensuring that the site operates in full compliance with its environmental permit and will take appropriate action in the event of any breaches."

A motion to Rotherham Council members about the issue was tabled by Ian Jones and seconded by Simon Currie, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

According to the motion, residents had long raised concerns about the site's "toxic history", which dates back to waste tipping between 1958 and 1989, including reports that barrels of cyanide, heavy metals and even medical waste being deposited there.

The motion said the decision to vary the site's historic permit was issued following private discussions between the EA's staff and consultants for the site operator.

It further said that required groundwater and gas monitoring had not been properly enforced since 2017, despite reports of possible cyanide odours, destroyed boreholes and concerns about unsafe material handling on site.

'Avoiding action'

Jones' motion argued that the EA had "failed in its public health duty" and that structural issues with recently constructed bunds, large mounds of compacted earth, had created potential safety risks for the public.

"The Environment Agency seems to be downplaying and even avoiding taking action," he said.

"The 2024 yearly report has not yet been filed, 11 months after it should have been.

"No groundwater monitoring reports have been filed in 2024 or 2025 despite quarterly returns being a condition."

Chris Read, leader of the council, said: "For a long time we have supported these efforts in the campaign against reopening the tip.

"We absolutely understand the strength of feeling in the community. We are supporting the motion today."

The motion was passed following a vote, with Labour, Liberal Democrats, Independent and Conservative councillors all supporting it.

The EA said: "Grange Landfill Ltd hold an environmental permit which has been through a thorough assessment in line with our legal duties."

It added: "We continue to engage with the community and local stakeholders to address any concerns."

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