Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is preparing legal action against the operators of Walley’s Quarry landfill site for alleged breaches of the Abatement Notice.
I am encouraged by this - we need to keep up pressure against the operator by all means possible. I know the Environment Agency are also continuing to monitor both odour levels and on-site compliance.
As I said following the suspension notice, further breaches of the operating permit ought now to lead to a closure notice, now that all other measures have been tried.
Simon McEneny, the interim Chief Executive of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said:
“Since the Abatement Notice came into effect we have been monitoring the odour in the communities near Walleys Quarry, with officers visiting people’s homes to take readings when necessary day or night.
There is a formal process of evidence gathering for our officers to follow and that has taken time, however we now believe that the operator has failed to properly control emissions and as a consequence we are preparing to take legal action.
We will provide more detail to residents in due course.”