Legal action against 'stink bomb' landfill dropped
A council has dropped legal action against a landfill site which has been described by locals as "stink bomb on steroids".
Pembrokeshire council said that it will not be taking legal action against the owners of Withyhedge Landfill Site due to costs.
Over the last year, locals have complained about the smell coming from the site, with some saying it has impacted their health and wellbeing.
The council said the decision was "due to the potential financial exposure considered against the fact that a marked improvement in the situation has been noted".
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The council said that despite seeking an interim injunction in October last year against the site operators, RML, it had decided not to continue due to costs.
At the time, a judge found the site to be a "nuisance" for locals but said that the council should have first served a notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Pembrokeshire council said that it "strongly believes that the court's decision was wrong", adding that it was in a "difficult position when considering the costs of appealing".
The site has been described as a "stink bomb on steroids" by local campaigners in the past.
Many have said that the "eggy smells" have impacted their health and wellbeing.
After the owners were served with enforcement notices by regulator National Resources Wales to address the issues, the local authority said that a "marked improvement in the situation has been noted".
"It is strongly believed that the legal effort of the council through this route has been a contributory factor in influencing the extent and pace of the remedial works undertaken by the operator," the council added.
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Legal action against 'stink bomb' landfill dropped
A council has dropped legal action against a landfill site which has been described by locals as "stink bomb on steroids". Pembrokeshire council said that it will not be taking legal action against the owners of Withyhedge Landfill Site due to costs. Over the last year, locals have complained about the smell coming from the site, with some saying it has impacted their health and wellbeing. The council said the decision was "due to the potential financial exposure considered against the fact that a marked improvement in the situation has been noted". Urgent review ordered over 'stink bomb' landfill Gething donation firm criticised for landfill stink 'Stink bomb' site takes waste from outside county The council said that despite seeking an interim injunction in October last year against the site operators, RML, it had decided not to continue due to costs. At the time, a judge found the site to be a "nuisance" for locals but said that the council should have first served a notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Pembrokeshire council said that it "strongly believes that the court's decision was wrong", adding that it was in a "difficult position when considering the costs of appealing". The site has been described as a "stink bomb on steroids" by local campaigners in the past. Many have said that the "eggy smells" have impacted their health and wellbeing. After the owners were served with enforcement notices by regulator National Resources Wales to address the issues, the local authority said that a "marked improvement in the situation has been noted". "It is strongly believed that the legal effort of the council through this route has been a contributory factor in influencing the extent and pace of the remedial works undertaken by the operator," the council added.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
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Legal action against 'stink bomb' landfill dropped
A council has dropped legal action against a landfill site which has been described by locals as "stink bomb on steroids". Pembrokeshire council said that it will not be taking legal action against the owners of Withyhedge Landfill Site due to costs. Over the last year, locals have complained about the smell coming from the site, with some saying it has impacted their health and wellbeing. The council said the decision was "due to the potential financial exposure considered against the fact that a marked improvement in the situation has been noted". Urgent review ordered over 'stink bomb' landfill Gething donation firm criticised for landfill stink 'Stink bomb' site takes waste from outside county The council said that despite seeking an interim injunction in October last year against the site operators, RML, it had decided not to continue due to costs. At the time, a judge found the site to be a "nuisance" for locals but said that the council should have first served a notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Pembrokeshire council said that it "strongly believes that the court's decision was wrong", adding that it was in a "difficult position when considering the costs of appealing". The site has been described as a "stink bomb on steroids" by local campaigners in the past. Many have said that the "eggy smells" have impacted their health and wellbeing. After the owners were served with enforcement notices by regulator National Resources Wales to address the issues, the local authority said that a "marked improvement in the situation has been noted". "It is strongly believed that the legal effort of the council through this route has been a contributory factor in influencing the extent and pace of the remedial works undertaken by the operator," the council added.
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Residents claiming foul smells have returned to a landfill site just weeks after it reopened are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action. Withyhedge, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, was closed last May to try and fix odour problems but opened again on 6 January. Colin Barnett, of campaigners Stop the Stink, said people in Crundale, Haverfordwest and Spittal, all in Pembrokeshire, were being subjected to "horrendous smells again". In December RML, the company that runs the site, said it was satisfied historic problems had been resolved, adding: "Completion of this work will provide a high level of protection for both the site and its neighbouring communities." Mr Barnett said "he couldn't believe" it when people began complaining about smells from the site. It has previously been described as smelling like a "stink bomb on steroids". Wales 'lacks plan' to tackle scale of nature loss Welsh environment agency plans to cut 265 jobs Nature laws to protect wildlife in Wales He backed calls from Conservative MS Paul Davies for a public inquiry, saying: "The public inquiry is the only way to get to the bottom of what's happened." Campaigners, he said, had been left unsatisfied by responses from public bodies. "The public inquiry is the only way to get to the bottom of what's happened, because we've been flanneled by NRW, by public health, Pembrokeshire council," he said. "All of these leaders need to take a back step and look at what they have not achieved. It's disgraceful." Legal action had, Mr Barnett said, been "delayed and delayed". "It's our only route now, because we've waited for 14 months for this problem to go away," he said. "We're going to take a different route now and that looks like group litigation." RML is part of Dauson Environmmental Group, owned by businessman David Neal. Mr Neal has twice been convicted for environmental crimes, in 2013 and 2017, relating to two companies. He was given a suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste on a conservation site and four years later he was prosecuted again for not removing it. Last year Atlantic Recycling, directed by Mr Neal, pleaded guilty to an environmental offence. It also emerged last year Vaughan Gething's Labour leadership campaign accepted £200,000 from Dauson Environmmental Group. NRW said it been monitoring the site since it reopened, adding: "In response to a rise in complaints in recent days, officers from NRW and Pembrokeshire County Council have been in the locality responding to odour incidents as reported. "No odours attributable to the landfill have been detected." It had received 34 odour complaints since 6 January, it said, with an increase since 16 January. This, it said, coincided with the end of a period banning slurry spreading. Mr Barnett said there was a "clear difference" between the smell of slurry and tip odours. NRW said an inspection by it and the council will be carried out on 29 January. RML and Pembrokeshire council have been approached for comment while the Welsh government has declined to. But First Minister Eluned Morgan said on Tuesday: "I'll keep a very close eye on this, and if those concerns continue then we will have to just discuss with NRW what concrete additional steps will have to be taken." Wales second in the world for recycling rates Wales 'lacks plan' to tackle scale of nature loss Wales plants just 12% of woodland target
