Statement following Channel 4 Dispatches “Rubbish Tip Britain” first broadcast on Friday 21st June 2024
Dauson Environmental Group is extremely disappointed with the tone, context, and content of the Channel 4 Dispatches “Rubbish Tip Britain” despite providing comprehensive information to the Production Company before broadcast.
Dauson Environmental Group employs over 250 people across Wales and contributes around £50m every year to the Welsh economy. The value at the core of our business is to clean up the environment, and as a business we are committed to recycling, redevelopment, and regeneration and are proud to provide a significant contribution to the total amount of waste recycling in Wales.
Waste management, by its very nature, is a highly regulated industry. Dauson Environmental Group is committed to maintaining these high standards of environmental management and transparency. We therefore regularly and openly engage with Natural Resources Wales and other appropriate stakeholders.
Withyhedge Landfill Site
Since the purchase of the site in 2022, Dauson Environmental Group has invested over £5m at the site in order to make significant improvements. We are unable to comment on activities relating to the site prior to our ownership. This includes alleged receipt of hazardous medical waste.
We are confident that the issue of odour has been resolved. In consultation with NRW, we have implemented measures to ensure that any odour from the site is minimised and does not affect the surrounding community.
We once again apologise for the impact this has had on local residents and our community.
However, whilst the broadcast stated that Public Health Wales has recently said that “hydrogen sulphide levels had exceeded safe levels”, in fact the levels recorded have only exceeded those associated with odour nuisance, not safety thresholds.
It should also be noted that Public Health Wales’ statement relates to a snapshot from approximately three months ago when samples were tested. Independent sampling and testing has been taking place for some time and we welcome updated sampling and testing to reassure the community.
Having reviewed footage of the alleged leachate leak captured by drone footage, we can advise that this shows a discharge into a containment ditch for surface water collection, and not into a waterway. This was not reported as such in the broadcast.
We understand that NRW is investigating water pollution in the area more generally which is likely to involve a number of local operators as well as other facilities further upstream. It is inappropriate to comment further until the investigation is concluded.
Waste Management
Withyhedge Landfill site does not knowingly accept non-conforming waste. This includes plasterboard, wood, tyres, and metal girders; Our waste acceptance procedures are stringent to prevent such materials from entering our site.
Our leachate is managed in strict accordance with our leachate management plan. We should make clear that the re-circulation of leachate is an accepted practice and not a violation of our permit. In addition, in excess of 35,000 tonnes of leachate has been removed from site in the past 12 months for treatment.
We are not aware of any ongoing inquiry into waste mis-categorisation or tax improprieties; however, we are committed to working with regulators to address any issues that may arise.
It should be noted that the claim in the programme that a typical artic load is between 30 and 40 tonnes is incorrect. The average load weight at our site is between 20 and 25 tonnes.
Drone footage
Dauson Environmental Group categorically denies the allegations of gunshots on our site. We would suggest that the investigators confused the noise with automated ‘bird scarers’ which are deployed on site