Environment body ‘to get tough’ with landfill owners over stench

THE Northern Ireland Environment Agency has committed to carry out a further investigation into an odour problem that has plagued areas of west Belfast and Lisburn for months.

The smell, which residents say has been causing headaches, breathing difficulties and even nosebleeds, was traced to the Mullaghglass landfill site on the outskirts of Lisburn last year.

Alliance councillors Sorcha Eastwood, David Honeyford and Stephen Martin have met with NIEA officials in an attempt to find a solution.

They had previously raised the issue with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

The NIEA has also agreed to undertake further monitoring over a short period, and said if results were not achieved in that time it would act.

“We have now secured a commitment from the NIEA to conduct further investigatory work and mitigations,” said Ms Eastwood.

“If this does not yield results in a tight time frame, enforcement can and should be taken.

“The NIEA has confirmed that it will take action if positive results are not forthcoming.

“It is also incumbent on the Environment Minister to hold to account the operators, and I would call on him to act.”

Mr Honeyford added: “With residents in my area of Killultagh being impacted by these odours on a daily basis over a long period of time, there are now commitments from NIEA to engage directly with residents’ groups, which is useful and needed.

“However, these engagements must happen urgently as a matter of priority so people know the relevant authorities are listening.”

Mr Martin, who has been dealing with the issue over many years for residents in Lisburn North, said it was time for all relevant agencies to step up to the mark and join the NIEA to try to resolve the problem once and for all.

“Councils working in partnership with Minister Poots and his department can push this further,” he said.

“Communicating the facts will go a long way, but the bottom line is this needs fixed urgently.”

The NIEA said it will update the councillors following a meeting with the operators of the site later this week.

Last week the NIEA told the Belfast Telegraph: “NIEA is aware of the foul odour issue which local residents have been experiencing.

“We have been undertaking regular odour monitoring at the site and in the surrounding area to try to pinpoint the exact source of the problem.

“NIEA has also been engaging with the operator of the Mullaghglass landfill, who has been instructed to conduct detailed methane surveys to try to detect any point sources of fugitive emissions around the landfill.

“In addition, the site operator has been asked to prepare an odour management plan to ensure that measures are in place to effectively deal with the more recent waste deposits, which seem to be generating landfill gas earlier than expected.

“Monitoring and site visits to Mullaghglass and the surrounding area by NIEA will continue, and will include joint visits with council environmental health officers.

“NIEA will continue to update local elected representatives on progress.”

It added that inspections “have substantiated complaints from residents that there is an odour nuisance in the area, which has been traced to the Mullaghglass landfill”.

Work to install extraction wells had started last November.

It’s understood the landfill site is nearing capacity and is due to close this December.

‘NIEA has confirmed it will take action if positive results are not forthcoming... I’d also call on the Environment Minister to act’