Landfill site told 'only take waste that won't smell'

A landfill which has sparked more than 20,000 complaints about noxious odours has been told it can only accept waste types that was unlikely to produce smells.

The site on Jameson Road in Fleetwood, Lancashire, has faced complaints for years, with some nearby residents claiming it had affected their health.

Now the Environment Agency (EA) has varied operator Transwaste's environmental permit so it can only accept waste types such as inert waste like soil, concrete and bricks, and if there is no odour improvement it would "take further action".

Transwaste previously said it was "delivering a comprehensive programme of works... which the company believes will resolve the odour issues raised".

The operator has been approached for a new comment.

The EA said it had taken the step "to restrict the amount of household waste on site – waste that is the cause of smells – while work to permanently cover the site is ongoing".

It said it "continues to press Transwaste to permanently cap two landfill cells to reduce future odour emissions".

The permit variation also includes a new requirement for the operator to submit plans for and install continuous hydrogen sulphide monitoring technology.

The air quality monitoring would be installed at four or more monitoring locations around the landfill site's boundary and would be monitored and maintained by Transwaste.

John Neville, from the EA, said: "The community should not have to tolerate odour pollution and we have made this clear to Transwaste.

"If we do not see improvements, we will not hesitate to take further action."

Officers are on the ground actively monitoring the situation at the landfill.

Transwaste can appeal against the EA's permit variation to the Planning Inspectorate.

If it does appeal, the variation would remain in place until a decision was made.

In July 2024, the landfill site operator was served a suspension notice to stop accepting waste until work to control the cause of the smells was undertaken.

The suspension was withdrawn in April last year after Transwaste met the conditions.

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