Large rubbish pile in Brierley Hill 'must be reduced'

The pile of rubbish towers over nearby homes in Brierley Hill

A Black Country company ordered to reduce a pile of rubbish could be stopped from operating if it does not bring it down in a few weeks.

Brierley Hill residents claim the pile, made up of household rubbish, rubble and industrial refuse, is also a health hazard.

RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) Limited has failed to meet five out of seven deadlines to reduce the pile, which towers over homes.

The company said it needed more time.

Resident Sally Round said: "In the summer it gets really dusty, really filthy, windows get black and we wake up looking at a tip."

The Environment Agency was called in to help with the problem last summer and has repeatedly ordered the company to reduce the size of the pile.

'Slowly come down'

David Hudson, environment manager with the agency, said: "Compliance has been very poor to date, very disappointing.

"We were hoping to see this level of the waste on the site slowly come down in a reasonable way for the company and the residents would see progress, but I'm afraid it's just not happened."

Once the latest deadline passes in a few weeks, the Environment Agency has the power to stop the company from operating and to clear rubbish from the site.

The company's managing director has acknowledged that the rubbish is causing a problem, but said that he "needs more time" and and is being "held up by bureaucracy".