On BBC1 iPlayer, there is a BBC Panorama episode on Walley's Quarry, titled Landfill: Britain’s Toxic Secrets.
The episode features an in-depth look at the appalling impact Walley's has had on residents across Newcastle-under-Lyme, especially local residents most acutely affected such as Mathew Richards.
Although odour levels are still down very considerably on the 2021 peak, the situation has clearly worsened in recent weeks after broadly encouraging numbers throughout the winter. This is not only very unpleasant for the community but also raises understandable fears that the issue is still not near a resolution. We have also seen yet another Category 2 breach by the operator, indicating that they are still not running a compliant site.
Resolving the stink at Walley’s Quarry remains my top local concern and priority, and I will not be satisfied until we see some proper accountability and justice for the wrong the community has suffered.
I therefore once again urge the Environment Agency to bring their regulatory and criminal investigations to a close as soon as possible - these are the route to justice.
I also urge the operator to apologise for their appalling mismanagement of the site and set out how they intend to compensate Newcastle residents for the harm they have suffered.
I would like thank those constituents who made important contributions to the Panorama episode, including Beckie Currie and Lee-Bernadette Walford, for helping to express vividly the human cost that residents have endured.