Suspension of stinky landfill lifted by regulator

Walleys Quarry will be able to resume landfill operations in full, after a suspension notice was lifted

The Environment Agency (EA) has withdrawn its suspension of a stinky landfill site in Staffordshire.

The regulator confirmed Walleys Quarry in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme, will now be able to continue accepting all forms of waste allowed by its permit.

The landfill’s operator previously described the suspension as unnecessary and entirely inappropriate.

The EA said that it was satisfied the steps required have been completed in order to lift the suspension.

This included installing additional gas extraction equipment and temporary capping on two areas of the site.

A spokesperson for the EA said: “The Environment Agency will now carefully assess the effectiveness of the action taken to reduce fugitive emissions of landfill gas from the areas of the site identified in the notice.

“We will continue to require Walleys Quarry Limited to comply with its environmental permit and implement all the measures necessary to manage emissions of landfill gas from the site.

“All regulatory options remain under consideration.”

The suspension was put in place, the EA said, to bring about immediate action to remove the risk of serious air pollution around the site.

MP Aaron Bell has called for the site's full closure

A Walleys Quarry Ltd spokesperson said while they welcome the lifting of the notice, they did not "believe it was ever justified".

“Today's withdrawal notice comes following a significant effort by Walleys Quarry to complete the on-site works already in progress at the time that the notice was issued in the shortest timescale possible," they said.

They added the firm would continue installing equipment to improve the extraction of gas at the landfill.

“Ironically, the only effect this notice has had is to disrupt works already in progress," the spokesperson said.

They said the company considered the works the EA instructed it to carry out were superfluous and led to a delay of the site’s wider development and capping.

Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell said he was surprised and angry that the suspension had been lifted.

“I know this will come as a huge disappointment to the community, particularly in light of the horrific levels of odour experienced last night and over the last fortnight,” he said.

He said he had expected the required improvements to take four weeks, and expressed surprise that they had been completed in half that time.

Mr Bell added: “My understanding is that they have worked at extreme pace to get the site reopened - no doubt losing income focused their efforts.

“But of course that only goes to show that the EA should have been tougher years ago.”

He said he would continue pressing for a full closure of the site.