Resources Management UK Ltd, the operator of the site, was acquired in March 2022 by the Dauson Environmental Group.

The Dauson Environmental Group consists of businesses associated with different elements of the construction industry, primarily recycling & waste management, demolition, soil treatment, green energy, construction, and remediation.

The Withyhedge site was acquired as part of the strategic development of the Group.

To protect nature and the environment, a landfill site must be properly managed for the long term and requires continual ongoing management and supervision.

Landfill sites are extremely complex civil engineering structures consisting of separate ‘cells’. The cells must be constructed under the supervision of an independent expert and in accordance with its Construction Quality Assurance Plan (CQA). This plan must be submitted to and approved by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) before the construction of the cell commences. These cells are carefully constructed and lined to ensure that none of the deposited waste can escape or pollute the existing ground, or ground water, or existing ecology.

Once the cell in constructed, it is inspected by NRW and authorised for use for landfill. Only then can we commence filling the cell. It is usual to only have one ‘live’ cell open at a time.

Waste is placed into the cell in layers and compacted by specialist heavy machinery. Once the cell is full, it must be ‘capped’ and sealed with a combination of a robust membrane and a thick soil layer and seeded. This ensures that none of the gas can escape, and no further leachate is absorbed. The site is then gradually returned to productive use.

The landfill gas is produced because of the deterioration of the organic matter in the waste (such as food waste). The cell may produce landfill gas for a period between 15 and 25 years after the cell has been capped. This gas is captured through a gas collection network and used on site to produce green electricity which is fed back into the grid network.

The production (and removal) of the gas, together with the decomposition of the waste over time, means that the cells take a while to settle to their final heights. Once the cells are settled, they are very stable structures.

Once the site is full, capped and closed, the site will still require management. We have a legal obligation to act as custodian for the site for up to 30 years post- closure and remain responsible for its environmental impact.

For decades, Wales, and the UK as a whole, have relied on landfills as designated areas for the safe disposal of wastes. While there has been a significant decrease in demand for landfills in recent years due to the implementation of increased recycling solutions and alternative recovery options like incineration, landfills continue to be a required resource. The emergence of newer solutions has not yet provided full capacity to accommodate current waste disposal levels.

The Withyhedge site is a licensed, permitted site for the landfilling of non-hazardous, unrecyclable waste and regulated by Natural Resources Wales.  RML does not accept hazardous medical waste.

The site is currently permitted and authorised to accept 250,000 tonnes of waste per year.

As part of our permitting conditions, we have a legal obligation to act as custodian for the site for a period up to 30 years post-closure and remain responsible for its environmental impact.

The site is regulated by Natural Resources Wales and is a fully permitted and compliant site. The site is currently permitted and authorised to accept 250,000 tonnes of waste per year.

Landfill gases are collected through a network of gas wells and a gas pipes located in/around the landfill itself.

The captured landfill gas is then directed to onsite gas engines where it is used as fuel to produce green electricity.  This green energy is transferred to the national grid.

The gas produced is approximately 50% methane and 50% carbon dioxide. The gas gives off a distinctive ‘eggy’ smell which although unpleasant, is not hazardous or detrimental to human health in the concentrations being experienced.

Vehicle movements vary in accordance with seasons and demand. Although the site is governed by its permitted operating hours, vehicle movements are not governed.

While the perimeter of the site is defined, the actual number of cells is not and depends upon the topography and how they interact with existing cells.

RML must consider the ever-changing landscape of waste and waste management, it is inevitable that further legislation will come into force to prohibit increasing numbers of items from landfill; this being the case, alternative treatment and disposal methods will have to be found. Plans are still being considered for how this will impact Withyhedge and the development of the site (not necessarily the expansion of the site) but this is very much in its infancy and, of course, subject to consultation with the Regulator, the Local Authority, and other stakeholders. To that end, it is not appropriate for us to comment on the specifics at this time.

Waste deposited in landfill [generally] is in decline, but so are the number of landfill facilities, meaning that it will be difficult to ‘see’ a reduction in incoming waste in the short-term. Not just at Withyhedge, but at all landfill sites. Landfills are a valuable [and required] resource and will be required to remain operational for some time to come.