Viridor, who run Parkwood Landfill, are seeking permission to tip active waste into Cell 4 (area D), previously a buffer zone for inert waste only.They are already allowed to dump active waste in Cells 1, 2 and 3.
Rubbish can be broken down into three basic types: Inert, Active and Hazardous.
Since July 2004 Parkwood no longer accepts hazardous waste.
Inert Waste – anything that doesn’t rot or breakdown in any way, including soil, rock, brick, glass and some incinerator ash.
Active Waste – waste that does biodegrade or putrefy including household and garden rubbish and some incinerator ash. This is the waste that causes unpleasant smells.
On the edge
As the decision by the Council planning committee draws closer the Messenger talked to residents on the Standish Estate, perched on the edge of Parkwood.
We were told “a lot of people don’t understand how big it’s going to be,” and one resident admitted they “didn’t really know that much about it,” but we found they did have strong views. “It’s tolerable up to a point,” said Wayne, who noticed the gassy smell and flies that meant he couldn’t leave the doors of his house open – both comments repeated by nearly everyone we spoke with.
Neil said, “you don’t actually know what they’re going to do”. He mentioned the health surveys and had heard of cancerinducing particles being found in high concentrations, but that nobody had been able “to prove it comes from that site”.
Two people mentioned the promise that the site would close early and a golf course would be built. One noted bitterly you aren’t allowed to build golf courses on landfill, or rather “a bloody toxic time bomb.”
One noted work sometimes starts earlier than the official start, contributing to the smells. Nobody I spoke to was sure what the fine spray that circles the site was. “Disinfectant,” one resident proposed, “to combat the smell.”
Mr and Mrs Askew observed they had contacted the Council about the plans on two separate occasions but never received a response. Mr Askew described how he had to write to neighbours on all three sides to get permission to build his conservatory, “We are neighbours to this tip but the Council never wrote to us about it.”
People were worried by the potential drop in property values in this very secluded estate and by the health hazard. “It nearly scared you out,” one man reminded his wife. Neil, like other residents, had a calm attitude towards the situation “and anyway,” he commented sarcastically “the people that matter don’t live here”.
by Tim Neal