MP says 1,000 tonnes of sewage sludge stored at Doncaster landfill
Labour MP Lee Pitcher says the Environment Agency found the waste in an uncovered stockpile at Finningley and has given the operator until 10 November to act.
At a glance
- Labour MP Lee Pitcher says about 1,000 tonnes of sewage sludge was seen in an uncovered stockpile at a Finningley landfill.
- The Environment Agency visited the site on 9 October and confirmed it set out a series of actions for the operator.
- Pitcher says the operator has until 10 November to resolve the concerns and has also asked about possible asbestos disposal.
More than 1,000 tonnes of sewage sludge has been observed in an uncovered stockpile at a landfill site near Doncaster, according to the town's Labour MP, Lee Pitcher.
In a Facebook post, Pitcher said he had been told the waste was being stored at the site in Finningley. The landfill, which sits in a former quarry, is operated by Tetron Finningley Ltd. The company has not previously responded when contacted for comment by the BBC.
What the Environment Agency found
Pitcher, the MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, said Environment Agency officers visited the site on 9 October, and responded to him on Tuesday after he chased them for their findings.
The agency told him that during the visit "approximately 1,000 tonnes of sewage sludge were observed being stored externally in an uncovered stockpile". It also said it had "identified concerns regarding whether site activities were being undertaken in accordance with the operating techniques and management arrangements described within the approved documents".
The Environment Agency confirmed on Thursday that it had "set out a series of actions" for the site's operator following an inspection. Pitcher said the operator had been given until 10 November to resolve the issue.
Further concerns raised
The MP said he had since contacted the Environment Agency again about "potential asbestos disposal at the site, along with the air quality and environmental ramifications this could bring". No confirmation of asbestos at the site has been reported.
The BBC has not independently verified the details given by the MP about the inspection findings. The Environment Agency's stated actions follow its October visit, and the deadline for the operator to resolve the concerns it raised is 10 November.
Source: BBC Science.
Questions and answers
- Where is the landfill holding the sewage sludge?
- The site is in Finningley, near Doncaster, and sits in a former quarry. It is operated by Tetron Finningley Ltd.
- What did the Environment Agency say about the site?
- The agency confirmed it set out a series of actions for the site's operator after an inspection. MP Lee Pitcher said officers reported about 1,000 tonnes of sewage sludge in an uncovered stockpile.
- What deadline has been given to the landfill operator?
- According to Lee Pitcher, the Environment Agency gave Tetron Finningley Ltd until 10 November to resolve the issue.
