Cabinet to consult ministers amid concerns about increased odour levels

Newcastle’s Cabinet has this afternoon expressed its deep concerns over the latest trend of increased levels of H2S at Walleys Quarry landfill site. The number of complaints from residents about the levels of odour has also been rising in recent weeks.  

In the latest update for the Council’s Cabinet on the foul odours from Walleys Quarry, Cabinet were informed that the levels of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) had risen dramatically during January.

Members were told that, after a period of steady decline, in the H2S concentrations measured at the four monitoring stations the World Health Organisation annoyance level was exceeded by more than 50 per cent of the time, for the week 10-16 January, the highest levels since May last year. 

The published data are weekly averages and Cabinet was advised that there will have been times when concentrations were higher – with the potential for the annoyance threshold to be exceeded for most of the time on some days.

It had been hoped that the Posishell being used to cap parts of the site would mean a significant and consistent improvement in the odour levels but it is now understood that the measure was not a long-term solution.

Cabinet were told that the Environment Agency will provide an assessment of the surface emissions of the site in due course – their survey having been completed.

Walleys quarry Ltd. have issued a press statement saying that the survey shows emissions which are “within the regulatory limits”. 

No reason has yet been offered for the dramatic increase in emissions from the site.

Simon Tagg, the Leader of the Borough Council, said: “It is now over a year on since the start of the extremely bad gas odours and it seems that we are no closer to knowing when this problem is going to end. 

“We have no information, from either Walleys Quarry Ltd. or the Environment Agency, on what causes spikes such as this or, therefore, what is being done to permanently stop the stink.

“The Council is seeking an urgent meeting with Government Ministers to press for much more effective regulation of the site. Our communities need this problem to stop, and after 12 months of work, I have no confidence that the Environment Agency have a grip on the issue and can make it stop.”

“There are limits to what the Council can do because we are not the primary regulators of the site with a full range of powers at our disposal. The Council has used all of the statutory powers it has to stop the stink by issuing an abatement notice in August last year.

“Unfortunately, Walleys Quarry Ltd. chose to appeal the notice which, in law, stops it coming into force until the court hears the appeal. That appeal is currently due to be heard in June but we have been trying to get Walleys Quarry Ltd. to sit down with us and discuss ways of resolving the issue now, rather than waiting until June to resolve the matter through a court process.

“We will continue to try to arrange those discussions and to defend the abatement notice we have served. We will also continue to press government ministers and agencies to do everything within their power to stop the stink.”