At Parliamentary Questions earlier today, Bob Neill MP called on the new Environment Minister, Dan Rogerson MP, to review the Environment Agency’s regulatory activity at the Waste4Fuel site in Bromley.
It follows increased concern that the EA is incapable of controlling operations at this site, and failing to deal with offences that contravene its own permits and enforcement notices.
The EA recently took legal action in the High Court to secure a number of interim undertakings (such as firebreaks in the waste). Despite this, Waste4Fuel Ltd has so far failed to comply with Court Order deadlines and, according the latest Compliance Assessment Report, “[t]he levels of the waste remain high with no obvious signs of reducing.”
Local politicians remain concerned that, as a regulator, the EA is yet to adopt a position on enforcement that is proportionate to the illicit practices of this operator.
Having heard about the scale of the problem being caused by this site in Cornwall Drive, the new Environment Minister agreed to meet with the two local Members of Parliament, and with Cray Valley West councillors, to discuss the case in more detail.
Commenting after Defra Oral Questions, Bob Neill said:
“This waste site continues to have a serious impact on the lives of Cray residents, on nearby schools and on local businesses. I am concerned that the Environment Agency is dragging its feet and failing to get a grip of operations at this site, which leaves everyone else with a growing pile of smelly and unsightly waste.
“I look forward to discussing this case in more detail with the new Environment Minister. In particular, I will be requesting that his Department conduct on-site toxicity testing, to ensure that residents are not at immediate risk from the residual stockpile.”
Jo Johnson MP said:
“I have said from the start that the site has become a dangerous hazard to the local community and despite having previously raised this matter with the Environment Agency, I am disappointed to see that Waste4Fuel are still failing to abide by the terms of the lease.
“I will continue to press for the necessary action to be taken to ensure that the site no longer poses a danger to local residents.”
Local Councillor, John Ince, said:
“The lives of local residents have been blighted by this waste site for nearly a year now. It should have been obvious to the E.A. that the pile of rubbish had grown to unmanageable proportions towards the end of last year, and it took a major fire due to spontaneous combustion for the E.A. to register any concern at all.
“This pile has been only minimally reduced since then despite agreements between the E.A. and the operators to reduce the waste on site to nil. The waste on site is also clearly in breach of the original planning consent, which allowed only inert builder's rubble and hardcore, and which may have resulted in a toxic mess requiring urgent testing.”
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Defra Oral Question Transcripts, 10th October 2013 (Note: check against Hansard)
# 14 Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst): Thank you Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State meet myself and the Hon. Member for Orpington to discuss the persistent and serious breaches of control at the waste4fuel site on the boundary of my constituency, which the EA currently appears unable to cope with.
Dan Rogerson (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs): The Hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to highlight the concerns of his constituents over concerns at this particular site. I’ve looked into the issue, I’m aware it, and I have discussed it with the Environment Agency. If the Hon. Gentleman and our Hon. Friend would like to meet to discuss this, I would be happy to do so.