The fire at Hafod landfill site in 2020
'Why should we have to put up with the stink from someone else's waste?'
More and more waste from England is being dumped in a controversial Welsh landfill site.
The latest statistics obtained by Plaid Cymru MS Llyr Gruffydd for the Hafod landfill site between Johnstown and Ruabon in Wrexham reveal that 61% of the waste dumped there is from England with the remainder coming from north Wales. Just 19% is from Wrexham itself.
The site, which is run by Stafford-based Enovert, hit the headlines when a fire caused major local concerns in 2020. Since then there have been growing complaints about odours from neighbouring communities.
In 2020 Mr Gruffydd, who represents north Wales in the Senedd, questioned the company about the origins of the waste material. Back then, more than a quarter (27%) came from the Wrexham area and that has now dropped to 19%. Significantly more waste is now coming from Liverpool and Merseyside - 37% - as opposed to 21% in 2020.
In total, waste from England now makes up 61% of the landfill site's waste.
Mr Gruffydd said: "The main concern is about the health and safety of the site and its impact on local residents. Back in 2020 people in the area were advised to close their windows during a heatwave because of the fumes from the fire that started on the site.
"Since then there have been ongoing concerns about the stink coming from the landfill, which affects residents in nearby Ruabon and Johnstown. The landfill has mainly been used by authorities in the north-west of England to dump waste away from their population and it's shameful that Wrexham residents are expected to just grin and bear it.
"Back in 2020, I received assurances from Wrexham Council that no municipal waste from the county was being dumped in Hafod. But the overall percentage of municipal waste from all authorities is increasing over the years and that may be the reason why the odour problems are becoming more pronounced now.
"Residents want reassurance that the site is safe and the emissions are not harmful to local people's health. The growing level of waste being transported by lorries from across the border is another concern - aren't there any landfill sites closer to Liverpool, Manchester and Warrington? How long will residents near Hafod have to put up with this problem?"
Local Ruabon community councillor Donna O'Brien added: "Residents have to put up with the smell of the landfill site throughout the year and people are naturally worried about what's causing that. Why should we have to put up with the stink from someone else's waste? Councils that produce the waste should be willing to dispose of it in their own areas rather than dumping it on us."
The landfill is due to continue until 2061 under the current arrangement. Sign the petition to close Hafod landfill site here.
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