Derbyshire: Residents call for action over landfill stench

The landfill site backs on to a residential estate

Residents have said the stench from a nearby landfill site is unbearable and have urged authorities to take action.

People living near Erin Landfill - situated between Duckmanton and Poolsbrook in Derbyshire - said it had got worse since new operators took over.

One resident told the BBC the smell made him "want to throw up".

Valencia Waste Management apologised and said it was due to landfill gas being released during engineering work.

In April 2021, Derbyshire County Council granted previous operator Viridor a 14-year extension, allowing the waste tip to remain open until 2035.

Valencia Waste Management took over the site in 2022, but residents said the smell had only intensified since then and thought the firm was not taking their complaints seriously.

Councillor Anne-Frances Hayes said she has had numerous complaints from residents

Councillor Anne-Frances Hayes, who represents the Staveley ward, said issues with the landfill site dominated her ward surgeries.

"I've had residents phone me talking about dizziness, nausea and it's not just the physical side, it's the mental health aspect too," she said.

"They are worried about the kids, we have two primary schools in the close vicinity and it feels like no-one is taking notice."

Daryl Yates lives on a new-build estate 1,640ft (500m) from the site and has started to take a record of the smell.

He said he used equipment the Environment Agency operated with and that his recordings were top of the odour scale.

Derbyshire County Council granted a 14-year extension, meaning the landfill site can be in operation until 2035

Another resident, Andrew Parsons, has lived in the area for more than 70 years and said the smell was worse than anything he could remember.

"I wouldn't call it a smell - I'd call it a stink," he said.

"When I get to the corner near the tip when I'm walking my dogs, I want to throw up because the smell is so bad."

The Environment Agency told the BBC an investigation into the odours in the area was ongoing and it was taking the reports "seriously".

In a statement, Valencia Waste Management said it had permits with "stringent procedures" to ensure its work did not harm human health or the environment.

"The current odour is the result of small amounts of landfill gas being released as engineering work is undertaken to permanently cover the areas where waste has been tipped," a spokesperson said.

"This work is currently ongoing at the site and will be completed as quickly as possible. [We are working] to ensure as much of this landfill gas is captured and processed, to reduce any potential for odours onsite and maximise the production of green energy.

"Valencia would like to apologise to residents for any inconvenience the recent engineering work has caused."