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Protesters block 'rotten egg smell' landfill site

Rob Thomas & Oliver Slow
BBC News
BBC A woman with blonde hair and glasses holds a sign reading "Stop the stink"BBC
About 80 people gathered at the Hafod tip in Johnstown, Wrexham county, on Friday.

Dozens of protesters have blocked the entrance to a controversial landfill site that residents say smells like rotten eggs.

Around 80 people gathered at the Hafod tip in Johnstown, Wrexham county, on Friday, calling for it to be closed because of the impact they say it is having on their homes and lives.

"Even when the doors are shut, the smell comes into the house," said Karen Mead, who lives close to the site, describing the smells as "horrendous".

Mark Silvester, chief executive of Enovert, which runs the site, said it was focussed on managing it "to minimise the impacts to the community".

People living near the site have complained since it opened about the smell, but say the problem has become far worse in recent months.

Residents say the smell means they cannot open their windows and there are concerns about possible health risks.

Both Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Enovert say emissions are constantly monitored, with NRW saying work is ongoing to improve the situation.

Speaking at Friday's protest, Ms Mead said that in the past year the odour from the tip has been "horrendous", and like others believes it could be affecting people's health.

She was also pessimistic that improvements would be made quickly, saying that even if the smell was masked she had concerns about what was "going into the ground".

A group of people waiting outside the entrance to the landfill, with police speaking to some protesters that are sat on the ground
People living near the site have complained since it opened about the smell coming from the site

Ian Edwards, who has long been protesting at the site, said the smell in the summer was "horrendous", and that people two miles away have to keep their windows shut.

Carrie Harper, from Wrexham council, said no local waste was taken to the Hafod site, and areas of north-west England that use the site for dumping their waste need to take action.

"People have to be accountable for the wellbeing and quality of life for people who are living in this area," she said, adding that residents have had a "gutful" and the site should be closed down.

Earlier this week, Clwyd South Member of the Senedd (MS) Ken Skates said the "disgusting" smells coming from the site "can't carry on".

Mr Silvester said the company has undertaken "capping and gas extraction system works" aimed at addressing odour emissions at the site.

"The landfill site holds an environmental permit and is stringently regulated by NRW to ensure the on-site activities do not cause harm to human health or the environment," he said.