Hazardous waste has been found by the Environment Agency at Parkwood landfill. Three types of industrial hazardous waste have been identified. They all come from site operator Viridor’s own waste sorting plant at Salmon Pastures, Attercliffe.
“I am very disappointed to hear that Viridor has been accepting hazardous waste at the Parkwood Landfill site, contravening the terms and conditions of its licence. This is a serious situation,” said Harry Harpham, Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene.
The Environment Agency says:
“Our concerns are that the correct procedures are not being followed and investigation into the matter is ongoing. We want to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to protect them and the environment.”
Viridor has no licence to tip hazardous waste at Parkwood. Since 16th July 2005 hazardous waste has been banned from non-hazardous waste sites like Parkwood by the EU Landfill Directive.
The Environment Agency is also prosecuting Viridor for letting waste escape from the site on two occasions in March 2004 (Messenger July 2004). The case will be in Sheffield Magistrates Court on 28th September.
Planning permission was granted on 30th August for the installation of a leachate treatment plant (to clean up the liquid that runs out of the bottom of the tip) and engines to generate electricity by burning the gases produced by the site. The electricity will be sold to the National Grid.
The Environment Agency said:
“Having these facilities at the site will bring it in line with the majority of other landfill sites in the country. These types of facilities are recognised as being best practice in terms of managing leachate and the gas generated by decaying waste.”
Viridor are still waiting for the council planning department to consider their planning application to dump more active waste on Parkwood.
By Andrew Green