WITHYHEDGE LANDFILL SITE UPDATE : 3 MAY 2024
As part of RML's commitment to provide an update on ongoing progress of works at Withyhedge Landfill site, we are pleased to report that the planned works are proceeding in alignment with the deadlines of the current notice issued by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
RML continue to provide daily updates to NRW regarding all completed works. We are pleased to report that, following recent inspections by the regulator, NRW have released a statement declaring that RML has met the initial deadlines and “that three actions have been completed - two ahead of the imposed deadlines”.
To ensure local communities continue to be updated, we have updated our FAQ page to provide more information about the current situation at Withyhedge Landfill Site.
While we conclude works at site, we once again express our sincerest apologies to our neighbours and local communities for the impact this issue has had. We would like to provide reassurance that all efforts are underway to bring these works to a final conclusion.
We are pleased to report that recent observations indicate a notable reduction in landfill odours, both in occurrence and intensity. We anticipate this trend of a reduction on odour to continue as we near completion of ongoing works, notwithstanding the presence of other odour sources not related to Withyhedge Landfill Site in the vicinity.
In addition to this update, Pembrokeshire County Council released a statement on 2nd May 2024 which confirms a legal notice served against RML on Friday 26th April 2024.
Throughout this entire process we have worked hard to cooperate fully with Pembrokeshire County Council at all times. In doing so, we have ensured that they have been kept fully informed and up to date.
Whilst we are therefore disappointed with Pembrokeshire County Council’s decision, we will of course continue to engage fully with the council so that this matter can be brought to a conclusion for local communities.
As always, we will also continue to provide regular progress updates to all our stakeholders and communities.
WITHYHEDGE LANDFILL SITE UPDATE : 9 APRIL 2024
RML has been endeavouring to eliminate odours from Withyhedge Landfill site by carrying out engineering works required by a Regulation 36 Notice served on the company by NRW. The works required a large quantity of waste to be moved from the top of the landfill into the next Cell followed by capping the top and sides of the remaining wastes as well as the installation of gas wells and collection pipework. Despite the very poor weather during the engineering works, the excavation, removal, capping and well installation works are complete and last week the gas abstraction system became active.
Gasses from this part of the site are now being collected and over the next weeks the suction will finally collect the gases generated from this area. Recent surveys have confirmed the very limited escape of gases from this area.
Whist the company has had to focus on compliance with the legal Notice, it has also been mindful that the waste placed into the next cell has the capacity to generate gases. Gas collection scavenger pipes along with waste covering works have been undertaken by the company in this cell, but these are not yet fully complete. The company is aware that until these works are completed in the next cell, along with the provision of gas wells, there will still be the potential for odour to escape from the site. Now that the entire focus is on these works, RML is confident that they can be completed within a few weeks.
We share the community’s disappointment that the works on the capping area have not terminated the odour problems but can assure the community that the necessary works will be concluded soon, and the odour issue will be finally addressed.
WITHYHEDGE LANDFILL SITE UPDATE : 19 APRIL 2024
Following on from the completion of phase 1 of the remediation work to cap cells 6&7 and the installation and connection of the gas wells, and while we recognise odour issues in this area have abated, it is apparent that odour issues still persist.
We have completed further investigatory work to identify the source of the odour and have already commenced engineering work to address the issue; we share the frustrations of the local communities that these issues persist, and are extremely frustrated and disappointed that our work to this point has not remedied the situation as expected but would seek to assure everyone affected by the odours that we will not rest until we have a permanent solution.
We continue to work closely with the regulator, NRW and other specialist geotechnical engineers, and have submitted a plan of additional works to be completed; this work has been approved and has been included in a further regulatory Enforcement Notice with a deadline of 14th May 2024.
To this end, RML will post updates on progress weekly leading upto completion on the 14th May.
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