Walley’s Quarry Landfill Site, Cemetery Road, Silverdale, Newcastle under Lyme ST56DH

Overview

Walley’s Quarry Landfill Site, Cemetery Road, Silverdale, Newcastle under Lyme ST56DH

- Latest News -

Update 24 February 2021

In response to increased community concern of odour within Silverdale and the surrounding areas we installed an Air Quality Monitoring unit on the 24 February 2021 in the grounds of the Severn Trent Pumping Station off Galingale View.  This location is within a direction where residents have reported concerns of odour.

This Mobile Monitoring Facility (MMF) will remain in place for at least 3 months and collect monitoring data continuously.  The unit will monitor for the same parameters as previous studies. For more information on previous studies please go to the section below entitled ‘Air Quality Monitoring’.  The data will be collated into a full and summary report which will also be provided to Public Health England to provide expert opinion on any human health impacts.  We will then share the findings with local residents, including an assessment of any environmental impacts. We are considering options to provide updates to the community while the monitoring is taking place and will confirm how these will be provided shortly.

Above: This is from Galingale View on the newer housing estate. The green box in the bottom right corner is where the monitoring station is being deployed.

Update 10 February 2021

Air Quality Monitoring – Silverdale                                 

In response to increased community concern of odour within Silverdale and the surrounding areas we have been making arrangements to install Air Quality Monitoring Equipment. We are currently working to resolve electrical installation requirements and anticipate the equipment will be installed by the end of February.

This mobile monitoring equipment will remain in place for at least 3 months and collect monitoring data continuously.  The equipment will monitor for the same parameters as previous studies.  The data will be collated into a full and summary report which will also be provided to Public Health England to provide expert opinion on any human health impacts.  We will publish the findings on our webpage and share them with the liaison group.

For more information regarding our previous Air Quality Monitoring please see the section below entitled 'Air Quality Monitoring'

Update 1 February 2021

We have continued to complete amenity assessments within the local area. We have completed 8 assessments for odour since the 1 January 2021 and visited the site on 2 occasions (11 January and 27 January)

• We have detected odour at some locations, but not at a level considered to be of annoyance.  Details have been provided to the site operator. 
• During the last visit on the 27 January odour was detected on the newer housing estate at a level of 2/6 (near Barnacle Place).  On further investigation approximately 2 hours later the odour has dissipated.  

Operations to bring the landfill to the final levels under the Planning Consent are continuing.  The area nearest to the Garners Garden centre is currently being completed to final levels. It is currently anticipated disposal of waste in this area will be completed in early February.

Completion of waste disposal within this area will enable:

• the installation of further deep gas extraction wells for the control of landfill gas.  We have approved the construction design for these wells during January.
• the area to be capped and sealed.

We will continue with odour assessments and visits to ensure all measures are being used to minimise odour impacting local residents

Liaison meeting

We attended the Walleys Quarry landfill site liaison meeting on the 21 January 2021 and provided a summary of our regulation since the last meeting on the 8 October 2020.

The invitees to the liaison meeting are:

- Red Industries

- Staffordshire County Council

- Councillors of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

- Offices of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council

- Silverdale Parish Council

- Environment Agency

- Knutton representative

- Thistleberry Residents Association

- Local Resident

- Poolfields Residents Association

The notes of the meeting can be found at the link below:

https://www.redindustries.co.uk/walleys-landfill-community/

Update January 2021

We have received an increase in complaints of odour since late December 2020.  In response we have increased our visits to the area to complete assessments of odour and site visits.  Since the 4 January we have visited the area on 7 occasions, normally with two officers visiting different locations and visited the site on the 11 January. We have detected odour at some locations and these details have been provided to the site operator. 

There has been no change in operations at the site to indicate the reason for the increase in complaints.  We will continue with odour assessments and visits to ensure all measures are being used to minimise odour impacting local residents

We will be including a summary of our compliance for 2020 on this webpage shortly. 

Bird control

Landfill operators are asked to work towards preventing birds feeding on the landfill site. Deterring birds can lead to them roosting on nearby buildings or land waiting for an opportunity to scavenge for food. Measures to deter birds include the use of bangers and rockets to disperse gulls and covering the waste during and at the end of each day to reduce the 'food' available for birds scavenging.  Operators can also employ a contractor to use birds of prey to deter seagulls from the tipping face.

The operator of Walleys landfill notified us in early December that to comply with guidance for bird flu they would be temporarily ceasing the flying of raptor birds at the landfill to reduce the risk of spreading the disease. Raptor birds will prey on other birds for food and are therefore used as a good deterrent.

To maintain the control of bird’s, replacement measures have been implemented including the flying lure raptor birds (these birds are trained to fly to a lure and less likely to prey on another bird), increasing the frequency of rocket/banger and increasing the use of distress call deterrents.

The site operator updated members of the liaison committee of this temporary change.

Cleaning of Vehicles

We are aware of concerns about mud on the highway and vehicles still being dirty when leaving the site. These concerns were raised with the site operator on the 5 January.

 Landfill permits require operators to:

• prevent vehicles from carrying mud off site,
• monitor the public highway and their site road between the final wheel wash and the public highway and
• if vehicles carry mud or other debris onto the public highway the operator must clean it up immediately.

The operator has confirmed that the wheel wash is operational and drivers are all required to use the wheel wash and remain in place until the cycle has fully finished.

The use of the wheel wash and the requirement for drivers to check their vehicles for debris prior to leaving the site is covered in the site inductions process. There is equipment on site to allow drivers to check and clean loose material before exiting the site. The company has reinforced the need to use the facilities correctly and advice against parking locally.

During a site visit on the 11 January all vehicles an officer observed leaving the site over approximately an hour were seen to be using the facilities correctly.

Site Details More Information

Address: Walley’s Quarry Landfill Site, Cemetery Road, Silverdale, Newcastle under Lyme ST56DH

• Since 2005, the Environment Agency (EA) has regulated an Environmental Permit for the operation of a landfill site at Walley’s Quarry, Silverdale, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire.
• The site is located near the centre of Newcastle under Lyme.
• The site which is a former quarry has planning permission for both a landfill (to ground level) and to create a land raise (above ground level)
• The landfill site has planning permission (regulated by Stafford County Council) to accept waste for disposal until 2026 with final restoration to be completed by 2040
• An artist’s impression of what the landfill might look like once the site has been completely capped off and restored. Can be viewed here.

Above: View of the landfill from the Southern boundary - October 2020

Below: The location of the Landfill site

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