Two Kent MPs have called for government action over an RDF firms waste site in St. Pauls Cray, at which thousands tonnes of waste has been left and several fires have broken out this year.
Waste4Fuel which collects and sorts waste such as tyres, plastics, cardboard, metals and paper at the site for processing into a refuse derived fuel (RDF) had its environmental permit suspended on April 22 2013 and was ordered to remove all combustible waste from the site.
This followed reports of several fires involving the material at the site between March and April 2013, which led Conservative MP for Orpington, Jo Johnson, to write to the Agency asking it to review whether the Waste4Fuel had been respecting the terms of its licence.
The Agency also said in June that it was considering prosecuting the firm after waste removal notices were not complied with (see letsrecycle.com).
Several more fires have since been reported at the site and the Environment Agency (EA) secured an injunction at the High Court on August 29 2013 for Waste4Fuel to remove specified amounts of combustible waste and fit two fire breaks at its Orpington site by deadlines in September.
However, Agency officers visiting the site on October 1 found that the second firebreak designed to limit the spread of flames had not been completed and the EA said it is now seeking legal advice on the next course of action to take.
Parliament
The Waste4Fuel site sits on the border between Mr Johnsons Orpington constituency and the Bromley and Chislehurst constituency, for which Bob Neill is the MP. A spokesman for Mr Neill said both politicians are concerned that the EA is yet to adopt a position on enforcement that is proportionate to the illicit practices of the operator.
‘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.’
Bob Neill, MP for Bromley and Chislehurst
As a result, Mr Neill yesterday (October 10) asked Defra minister Dan Rogerson in parliament for discussions on the persistent and serious breaches of control at the site, which he said the EA currently appears unable to cope with.
Commenting after the parliamentary debate, Mr 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.
He added that he would be requesting on-site toxicity testing to ensure that residents are not at immediate risk from the residual stockpile.
Orpington MP and brother of the London Mayor, Jo Johnson also commented: 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.
Waste4Fuel
However, Waste4Fuel manager Bryan Hughes told letsrecycle.com that the firm was absolutely committed to clearing the waste and hoped to have it all removed by around December.
Around 2,500 tonnes of waste has been cleared from the site since the start of the year and the firm was working to remove another 2,500 tonnes, according to Mr Hughes.
‘We are absolutely committed to clearing the waste’
Bryan Hughes, Waste4Fuel manager
He said: We were given dates for a fire break and to remove 1,000 tonnes of shredded rubbish, of which both were completed within the dates that were specified and it is just the last fire break that is proving a bit more difficult.
He continued: The second fire break we had started doing but an Agency officer came to visit and asked us to move it elsewhere.
Mr Hughes said that this request, as well as several Waste4Fuel staff members leaving the firm and numerous break downs of two machines had delayed the process considerably. He added that he had emailed the EA this week for a meeting to discuss the issue.
According to the Agency, one firebreak needed to be completed by September 7, and the other by September 30.
Mr Hughes continued: We are more than happy to speak in consultation with the EA and then they hit us with a court injunction. We are not arguing we have pretty much done everything we have to.
He added that he was happy to talk to MPs Mr Neill and Mr Johnson to show what our plans are for the future.
Mr Hughes added: I will be trying to arrange a meeting with Jo Johnson to see what we can try and achieve instead of hearing things from him in the newspapers or elsewhere.
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