§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has(a) evaluated and (b) applied under Environment Agency control to resolve the problems of odours in South Essex. [114662]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Environment Agency is the Government regulator on waste management licensing controls. The Agency is visiting the site daily and has required the operating company, through the serving of a notice under section 42 of the Environmental Protection 727W Act 1990, to take steps to control and resolve the problem of odours at the Pitsea landfill site. On-going compliance is being monitored extremely tightly.
A final layer of waste is being put over one of the two sources of odour which will be followed by a clay 'cap' to seal it. The second and most predominant source of odour, from the central leachate lagoon, has been treated with oxidising agents which eliminate the odour rapidly, but there has been difficulty in maintaining this and a number of additional measures are now being implemented.
I will continue to monitor progress in resolving the problems of odours associated with the Pitsea landfill site.