Waste site operator appeals against Environment Agency permit revocation
The operator of a waste recycling site has appealed against enforcement action taken by the Environment Agency (EA) over concerns the facility is causing a health hazard.
The regulator issued a permit revocation notice against the company in charge of the site South Emsall in June.
The action was taken after a planning inspector said excessive amounts of hazardous material stored at the land created multiple health risks.
Hundreds of residents have complained about a foul smell, dust and litter coming from the site at Hacking Lane
A planning inspector said in a report published last month that the facility also posed a risk to nearby watercourses, including Frickley Beck.
The revocation notice, which came into effect on July 4, cancels the operator’s permit.The EA today confirmed that Minore, also known as Mineral Processing Ltd, had
appealed the notice and further a Planning Inspectorate hearing will be held.
Carly Chambers, Area Manager for the EA in Yorkshire, said: “Mineral Processing Ltd appealed our decision to issue a revocation notice for the site at South Elmsall.
“The environmental permit will now stay in place until the Planning Inspectorate has announced the outcome of this appeal.
“The suspension notice, however, remains in place during this time.
“The suspension notice prevents more waste being brought onto the site and requires the removal of waste that is in breach of the permit conditions.
“If the operator does not comply with the suspension notice, it will be committing an offence.
“We understand the impact this site is having on the community and our increased regulatory response continues. Our investigation is ongoing.”
Last month, Wakefield Council refused permission for the facility to continue operating.
According to documents, almost five times the permitted amount of materials had been stored on the land
The permit allowed a maximum of 50,000 tonnes to be stored at the facility.
Information provided by Minore between 2016 and 2023 revealed there were 233,772 tonnes at the site.
The EA has called for the removal of at least 180,000 tonnes of non-inert material.
Minore previously said it was “disappointed” with the decision from the Inspectorate.
The company said it plans to transform the land into wildflower meadow, wetland, ponds and public open space.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Currently the site is excavating materials and processing them, which is not in contravention of the notices issued by the EA but in compliance with them.
“The site has been here since the late 19th century as Victorian brickworks, ash pit and council tip for the deposit of coal ash from domestic fires, up until the late 1950s.
“There has not been any pollution incident in Frickley Beck in those 100 years.
“The company samples the water regularly as part of the monitoring regime and has found no effect on Frickley Beck when taking water samples.
“Our employees have been working at the site for over 12 years and now fear for their jobs due to this escalation in action against the site on human health grounds when none of our employees have ever been affected.”