Left to rot, 50,000 tons of waste blighting the countryside
IT WAS all supposed to be recycled – but this mountain of rubbish has been left to rot for years on a disused airfield instead.
Bird’s-eye photos show around 50,000 tons of waste that ended up piled high in the North Lincolnshire countryside after being set aside by families.
Seen from above, the stacked rows of identical green plastic sacks look neat enough. But closer inspection reveals many have split and are spewing out their contents.
Residents of nearby villages have complained about the smell, and say the waste has attracted flies and rats.
It belonged to a private company North Killingholme Recycling Ltd which went bust two-and-a-half years ago. Since then the waste has sat on the former wartime airfield near Grimsby.
The site would likely cost around £6million to clear up, but the local authority does not have the funds to do so.
North Lincolnshire Council is reportedly working with the Environment Agency, local MPs and the Government to find a solution.
Local councillor Richard Hannigan has said the council did not believe the site was a health and safety risk.
‘We are looking at other options to fund the clean-up, including an offer from the Government to waive the associated landfill charges,’ he said. ‘This will make a significant dent to the costs, but will still leave a large amount of money to be found.’
Residents in the nearby villages East Halton and South Killingholme are left to suffer from the environmental impact of so much waste. Conditions were particularly bad last summer. Jayne Broadwith, of East Halton, said: ‘We have to keep our windows and doors shut tight. It stinks – you can smell it from miles away.’
A council spokesman said lengthy legal proceedings are involved in dealing with the waste.
He claimed that claims of pest infestations had been ‘grossly exaggerated.’