Blundering Environment Agency admits Walleys Quarry mistake
Blundering Environment Agency bosses have admitted a technical issue with the monitoring devices positioned around ‘smelly’ Walleys Quarry. The Environment Agency (EA) has three mobile monitoring facilities in the vicinity of the Silverdale landfill site.
But it has emerged today that the devices have not been providing accurate readings of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas levels. Now the EA has organised a public meeting to try to reassure affected residents.
Latest figures show 70 complaints were made to the EA and Newcastle Borough Council about Walleys Quarry smells in the last week of August. The council reported last month that there had been no H2S concentrations above World Health Organization levels in the previous three months.
READ: What Environment Agency found in unannounced inspection at Walleys Quarry – The operator says it is challenging the organisation’s findings[1]
READ: Walleys Quarry smell complaints drop as part of site capped – Newcastle Borough Council is still monitoring smell complaints at the Silverdale landfill[2]
An EA spokesman said today: “We have identified an issue with our hydrogen sulphide monitoring around Walleys Quarry. As a result, there is now a greater degree of uncertainty about the data for this gas. The data for all other emissions measured is unaffected.
“Our immediate priority is the community and we are working closely with all partners, including those responsible for health advice. We remain committed to maintaining long-term improvements in emissions from the landfill. We continue to regulate the landfill operator to ensure it complies with its permit and implements all the measures required.
“We know local residents will be concerned and we are sorry this has happened. We will continue to be transparent and provide further information as soon as we can. We will be holding a virtual event on 9 October to talk to the community.”
(Image: Tristan Potter / SWNS)
Staffordshire County Council’s public health team, the UK Health Security Agency, and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board has issued a statement following today’s disclosure.
They said: “The Environment Agency has today published concerns about the accuracy of the hydrogen sulphide monitors around the Walleys Quarry landfill site. This means that we cannot rely on this data to assess the risk to people’s health. The risk of long-term health problems is small but cannot be excluded at this stage. We know that some people continue to experience short-term health effects.”
Walleys Quarry Ltd (WQL) has been left ‘surprised and disappointed’ by today’s announcement.
A Walleys Quarry spokesman said: “We await further information from the EA to allow to us to better understand the full implications of this development. The statement made by the EA today does not detract from the work WQL has been undertaking which has seen significant reductions in reporting complaints attributed to the site and its operations.”
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References
- ^ What Environment Agency found in unannounced inspection at Walleys Quarry (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Walleys Quarry smell complaints drop as part of site capped (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ or click here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)