MP takes up concerns on Lidsey Landfill smell

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert visited the Lidsey Landfill site on Friday (15 February) to take up local residents’ concerns about smells from the tip.

The landfill site, which is located off the A29 between Bognor Regis and Westergate, receives non-hazardous and inert waste, including some household refuse.

He met with residents to hear about the problem, and then went to the site to view the operation and discuss the issue with the Environment Agency, the Lidsey Liaison Committee, and managers at the site, which is jointly operated by Veolia and Sita.

Residents have been complaining since last Summer about smells from the tip.  Many local villagers have written to Mr Herbert to raise their concerns, and some have complained that the smell is so bad that they are unable to open the windows in their houses.

The operators told the MP that they had received no complaints in 2011, but problems began in 2012 with the heavy rainfall experienced throughout the year.  Rainwater filled the unfinished cells at the landfill site, causing problems with the capping of the cells and the burning off of gas.  The operators said that they had taken a number of steps to try and reduce the smell.

The operators and the Environment Agency have undertaken to write to Mr Herbert by the first week of March to advise him of the actions that they will take to deal with the problem.

Nick Herbert commented: “This smell is very unpleasant for local residents and the action taken so far has not dealt with the problem.  I have raised this previously, but with continuing complaints I wanted to meet residents, see the operation at the tip for myself and discuss the issue with the operators and the Environment Agency.

“I set out the concerns of my constituents, and asked both the operators and the Agency to let me have a formal response about how they will deal with this issue so that I can relay it to local residents.”

Ends

Notes for Editors

1. For more information about the Lidsey Landfill Site see http://www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk/Main/Facilities/Landfill-sites/Lidsey/