Walleys Quarry Landfill Ordered to Close, Residents Express Relief

“I’m absolutely elated. We’ve been waiting for this for years and years and years and years,” declared a campaigner, articulating profound satisfaction regarding the order for a landfill site to cease operations. This sentiment reflects the feelings of those residing near the facility in Silverdale, Staffordshire. For an extended period, residents have endured severe odors emanating from Walleys Quarry. Furthermore, fumes from the site have been identified as noxious, occasionally surpassing established emission guidelines. Some individuals have even attributed health issues in the vicinity to these gases. Following years of legal disputes and ongoing discussions among activists, environmental authorities, and the site’s management, the quarry has now received a closure order. The Environment Agency (EA) issued this notice on Thursday, which prohibits the delivery of new waste to the site starting Friday. Walleys Quarry Ltd, the owner of the premises, confirmed its intention to contest the notice, stating it would do so “using all available options.” The EA explained its decision to take this significant step, which marks an escalation from its previous monitoring and warnings. The agency indicated that it had exhausted all other enforcement measures, including over 180 inspections. It also characterized the management of Walleys Quarry as “poor.” Ian Jones, the EA’s area director for the West Midlands, commented, “We have every sympathy with the local community and have worked tirelessly to resolve the problem of landfill gas emissions from the site.” He further clarified that issuing a closure notice is a serious decision not made lightly, but the operator had been given ample opportunity to implement effective solutions and had failed to do so. Upon receiving the news of the closure order on Thursday, numerous campaigners, including Lee-Bernadette Walford of Stop the Stink, gathered at the site to celebrate, with Walford articulating the elation mentioned earlier. However, Walford also urged caution, explaining, “We have got a really long road ahead of us because they’ve issued the paper but that doesn’t make the smell go away.” Complaints regarding the landfill, situated off Cemetery Road and near several homes, trace back to approximately 2020. The EA had previously identified hydrogen sulphide as the cause of the odors, with concentrations frequently recorded above guideline levels at the three nearest monitoring stations. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), exposure to this gas could potentially lead to neighbours experiencing headaches, nausea, dizziness, watery eyes, stuffy noses, irritated throats, coughs or wheezes, sleep disturbances, and stress. Stop The Stink, a group comprising local residents, has organized multiple protests outside Walleys Quarry, advocating for the site’s closure. In response to the closure notice, a spokesperson for Walleys Quarry Ltd accused the EA of failing to engage with its “extensive factual and legal submissions.” The company refuted the agency’s allegations concerning poor landfill management. “We are clear that keeping the site open delivers greatest benefit and sustainability for the site,” the spokesperson stated, adding, “We will challenge this decision using all available options.” The closure notice grants Walleys Quarry Ltd a two-month period from the date of issuance to file an appeal.