Landfill Sites (Hansard, 11 July 2000)

§ Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessments he has made of the increase in(a) heavy vehicle traffic, (b) vermin and (c) noise levels arising from the operation of a landfill site. [129969]

§ Mr. Meacher
The Government have not made such assessments for individual sites. An assessment of the impact of an individual site is made when a development planning application is made.
The Government have published two relevant studies. "The Control of Noise at Surface Mineral Workings" was in 1990, and "The Environmental Effects of Traffic Associated with Minerals Working" in 1998. While they refer to surface mineral workings, the contents are applicable to landfilling. The Department issued in May 2000 a consultation draft of Mineral Planning Guidance Note 11, "Controlling and Mitigating the Environmental Effects of Minerals Extraction in England". This provides guidance on noise, with specific reference to the issue of waste disposal sites.
Vermin should be controlled by the operator and regulated by suitable conditions in the waste management licence.

§ Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many landfill operators were prosecuted for breach of the site licence in the past 10 years; and what were the(a) largest and (b) smallest fines imposed for those found guilty. [129974]

§ Mr. Meacher
Data are only available from April 1999, since when there have been 50 prosecutions relating to waste management licences. The largest total fine since April 1999 was for £87,500, and the smallest was £400.
498W

§ Mr. Llew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he gives to landfill operators to reduce gas generation from putrescible materials deposited to their site. [129970]

§ Mr. Meacher
None. Guidance from the Secretary of State is directed at controlling emissions of landfill gas. This is in the form of Waste Management Papers which address the issues of site design, engineering and operation. Waste Management Paper 27 relates solely to landfill gas.