Last evenings meeting of the Tip Liaison Committee was very frustrating, not only because no representative from the Environment Agency turned up – but descended further when it was confirmed that work had been carried out on the site last Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday which was outside the permitted hours of operation. This created an horrendous stink and spoiled the otherwise sunny weekend for a number of residents.
This working is only permitted if approved by the Council and the Agency – needless to say an email exchange between City Plant and the Agency clearly states that it was planned to ‘doze waste into the void over the weekend’. There is no evidence that the East Riding of Yorkshire Council approved the work.
To move clay or restoration materials over a weekend when people are at home is one thing, but to deliberately move stinking waste around the site is something totally different, and in my opinion totally unacceptable, and says a lot about City Plant Ltd.
The only conciliation is that the City Plant Ltd have apologised to Roy Hunt and I as the Community Representatives for not letting us know about the planned work, and confirmed that there will be no further weekend working in the foreseeable future.
I have received the following update form the Agency regarding the problematic landfill site.
Current situation as of 15th March 2012
City Plant Ltd have now begun to move waste from the overtipped areas of the site to other areas of the landfill.
* The deadline for this to be complete is the end of May 2012
* Waste will continue to be brought into the site during this process
Odour
We are aware there have been odour issues with the site in the past and despite considerable efforts to address these the problem has not been fully resolved.
As with any landfill site, there will always be some odour while fresh waste is being brought onto the site. However, much of the odour is also caused by landfill gas (produced as the waste decomposes). The existing system for extracting and burning gas at the site was upgraded in late 2011 and further improvements have been made this year, although there is still work to be done.
Unfortunately, moving the waste is likely to make the odour worse in the short term as the waste being moved may have been at the site for up to 6 months. While measures to limit the odour will be taken it is not possible to stop all odours from the excavation and movement of waste.
However, while moving the waste will have a short term negative impact, it does mean that by the end of May the majority of the site will be in a condition where it can be sealed with a cap and covered with soils for the planting scheme to commence. This also means that the site's gas extraction system can be expanded to collect and burn most of the landfill gas produced by the waste.
We will expect the operator to cap and restore the site and install additional gas extraction as soon possible after the waste has been moved within the site. We will update you on the timescale for this work as soon as we can.
This working is only permitted if approved by the Council and the Agency – needless to say an email exchange between City Plant and the Agency clearly states that it was planned to ‘doze waste into the void over the weekend’. There is no evidence that the East Riding of Yorkshire Council approved the work.
To move clay or restoration materials over a weekend when people are at home is one thing, but to deliberately move stinking waste around the site is something totally different, and in my opinion totally unacceptable, and says a lot about City Plant Ltd.
The only conciliation is that the City Plant Ltd have apologised to Roy Hunt and I as the Community Representatives for not letting us know about the planned work, and confirmed that there will be no further weekend working in the foreseeable future.
I have received the following update form the Agency regarding the problematic landfill site.
Current situation as of 15th March 2012
City Plant Ltd have now begun to move waste from the overtipped areas of the site to other areas of the landfill.
* The deadline for this to be complete is the end of May 2012
* Waste will continue to be brought into the site during this process
Odour
We are aware there have been odour issues with the site in the past and despite considerable efforts to address these the problem has not been fully resolved.
As with any landfill site, there will always be some odour while fresh waste is being brought onto the site. However, much of the odour is also caused by landfill gas (produced as the waste decomposes). The existing system for extracting and burning gas at the site was upgraded in late 2011 and further improvements have been made this year, although there is still work to be done.
Unfortunately, moving the waste is likely to make the odour worse in the short term as the waste being moved may have been at the site for up to 6 months. While measures to limit the odour will be taken it is not possible to stop all odours from the excavation and movement of waste.
However, while moving the waste will have a short term negative impact, it does mean that by the end of May the majority of the site will be in a condition where it can be sealed with a cap and covered with soils for the planting scheme to commence. This also means that the site's gas extraction system can be expanded to collect and burn most of the landfill gas produced by the waste.
We will expect the operator to cap and restore the site and install additional gas extraction as soon possible after the waste has been moved within the site. We will update you on the timescale for this work as soon as we can.
6 comments:
The pile of recent waste looks to be considerably higher than 8 metres already and still has to be capped. This shows how much City Plant Limited really care about Environment Agency limits
Hi Paul,
Can I use the widespread readership of your blog to ask if residents have noticed any health problems since the escalation of tipping operations took place? Of particular note would be airborne particulate linked symptoms such as chest/breathing problems but if any resident attributes symptoms with the operation of the tip please can they come forward and say so. This might include stress, disrupted sleeping patterns or other things which they honestly feel is connected to the tip.
thank you,
John Jessop
If the photograph for this article is a fair representation and the old pile is around 18 metres high, the new pile at the left is going to be around the same height with its top covered in soil. On that basis it does appear that the environment agency have completely failed to get a grip on this and the chances of the finished item being brought down to 8 metres is somewhere around zero. What is the EA site monitoring officer doing to earn his salary (paid for out of public funds)?
As to John Jessops question, I have developed a catarrh problem over the last twelve months which gives me an annoying cough and sinus headaches. Does that fit with dust from the tip?
Thanks Dennis. Those symptoms could well be tip related. We need to hear from other people as well. I am pretty sure there are others out there with similar problems and they should be campaigning about the threat to their health. Even if they don't bother about themselves their children should be considered.
Julian Annells - Gilberdyke resident.
I have noticed that my asthma has been much worse , especially when I can smell the tip. I fact as I have come home tonight from visiting a friend I have smelt how bad the stink is at 9.30 in the evening, so bad in fact that I have had to use my inhaler. I am also concerned that the landfill is so far above its limits that it will never be at the allowed . What are the operators going to do about this ? ( I expect the EA to fine the operators heavily and for the tip to be brought into line with original planning)I believe that the operators would be liable under corperate manslaughter laws for any injury or death caused by there lack of clean up operations. I also would like to know why the damage being caused to the local roads by the lorries (and the rubbish blown about) has not been delt with by the operators.
Dave of Gilberdyke
Its about time this was shut down .Its a cold day and the smell is bad ,if it gets warmer its only going to get worse . In this age of rules and regs they should be made to pay compenstation to all residents within 5 miles for the discomfort we all are having .
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