Public meeting being staged tonight on rotten smell coming from Fleetwood landfill site

The smell has variously been described as being like rotten eggs or rotten onions, and the situation is now so serious the Environment Agency are actively investigating and monitoring the Jameson Road site.

The landfill site is run by a private company, Transwaste Ltd, and is not connected to Lancashire County Council, which runs the neighbouring but unrelated household waste recycling centre.

Tonight's meeting

Tonight's meeting is being staged at St David's Church on Larkholme Lane, Fleetwood, at 6pm.

The meeting has been called by the Harbour Village Environmental Group and will be chaired by Fleetwood Town Council ward member, Coun Jimilai  Kuruvakadua and resident Angela Thomas.

It is hoped that a representative of the Environment Agency will be able to attend and Transwaste has also been invited to attend.

Pam Diamond, a member of the Harbour Village Environment Group, said: "I have visited a few landfill sites over the years but I have never smelt anything like this.

"Some people say it is actually making them sick.

"At tonight's meeting we will be consolidating all the information we have so far.

"The problem has grown and become more serious so it has to be properly looked into.

"We're glad the Environment Agency is now involved and dealing directly with the operators."

What the Environment Agency says

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:   “We would like to thank members of the community who have reported odour issues to us at a landfill site in the Fleetwood area.

"We use reports to assess information that informs our regulation and response.   

“We have increased our compliance visits to the site to make sure the operator is reducing the risk of emissions and odour. We also have officers in the community to investigate odour levels around the landfill site. 

"We are keeping multiagency partners informed and will look to work together to resolve this issue to prevent further impact on the community.”  Transwate Ltd has been approached for a comment.

One Fleetwood resident, Jessica Brown, of Lindel Road, said: "It has been having a serious impact on people's health in Fleetwood, affecting their breathing, making people nauseous and giving them serious headaches.

"I have my elderly mother with severe COPD who I live with and her cough and breathing have been seriously affected.

"I also have a seven year old daughter with asthma. I have been having bad headaches and a bit of a cough as I have asthma as well. I live down Lindel Road in Fleetwood so I'm not far from it. 

"Even with all windows and doors closed it gets into your house. "

A Wyre Council spokesman said: "The council is aware of the complaints and an investigation is open to confirm the source of the odour.

"We are working closely with the Environment Agency to address the issue and will provide an update when we have more information.

"In the meantime, if anyone wishes to report an odour issue, they can do so on the EA hotline 0800 807060."