HIGH MOOR – SLEEPING POLICEMAN VISIT 7 JULY 2009

 

FLIES

 

We had a lengthy discussion about flies. I had previously sought some reassurance to the following question from the Environment Agency (EA). However the queries, given below, were not fully answered. Consequently I have readdressed them to the EA.

 

Queries to the EA

 

1. I understand that loads of rubbish bound for Highmoor should be treated by suppliers to contain/prevent flies breeding or intruding into the locality. With waste now being collected every two weeks by many authorities it is reasonable to assume that more opportunities exist for flies to breed. Does the EA have a responsibility to check for "fly treatment" by waste suppliers of incoming loads? Does the EA inspect processes and their effective implementation?

 

2. With respect to waste smells the warm weather has resurrected complaints about the problem. Inbound vehicle emit odours as does freshly delivered waste. Both sources of odour impact on residents close to the quarry. We understand that waste suppliers have to treat waste with odour suppressant before delivering it to Highmoor. Can the EA please inspect processes and implementation to ensure that odour suppressant is being applied effectively? 

 

 

Flies at landfill sites seem to be a problem throughout the UK. In many sites as well as involving specialist entomologist local authorities are also heavily involved. Whose job is it to get them on board? The site operator, the EA or the residents? Local authorities must surely be involved in any discussion, after all recent policies of collecting certain types of rubbish every two weeks instead of one may be a contributing factor. Moreover, in 2004 a Dr Dave Goulson (University of Southampton) led a four-year study at a dozen landfill sites, which were plagued by flies every summer. He concluded that fly numbers could be cut by composting waste like kitchen scraps and garden clippings, instead of sending it to landfill, where it provides rich food for flies. Latest tipping policies in Oldham has led to kitchen waste being tipped at Highmoor - this is at variance to Dr Goulson's views.  

 

Dr Goulson also suggests the warm winters are partly to blame - "Traditionally, the cold British winter killed off most insects and it took them until well into the spring to recover their numbers, but milder weather has seriously affected this cycle."

The EA is discussing the subject with Veolia during a meeting with them on 10 July 2009. However, I view that we need a very broad and deep meeting with attendance from Veolia, the EA, local authorities that use Highmoor for dumping waste, environmental officers from local authorities, the ADAS entomologist  and the residents.

A suggested agenda for such a meeting is:

1. Introduction.

2. Residents' complaints.

3. Veolia's responsibilities and actions.

4. ADAS entomologist report.

5. EA's responsibilities, actions and reports.

6. Reports from Local Authorities on responsibilities, waste treatment and waste collection policies.

7. Reports from Veolia, the EA, specialist entomologist and Local Authorities on ways to contain the fly problem.

8. Plan of action to contain and curtail the problem.

We need such a meeting in the very NEAR future. I am prepared to organise it but will need details of contacts of: EA, ADAS specialist , Local authorities that tip waste at Highmoor, environmental officers at local authorities. The problem does not rest solely with Veolia. Cause and effects are also related to other organisations.

Flies at homes close to Highmoor are a longstanding problem.. Residents very close to the quarry have experienced major intrusions of flies in their homes when the weather gets warm. In the past statements have been made to the effect that the flies come Calderdale and not from Highmoor.  A document dated 2004 said the flies identified around the region are moorland flies. I'm no fly expert and neither are the engineers at Highmoor. While Veolia have a weekly visit by someone to examine and treat the fly situation I'm not sure that it’s effective. Veolia recently used the services of a leading 'fly expert' to thoroughly examine the issue. Issue of his report is imminent.

We are conscious that in the present climate of budget restrictions savings may be sought by cutting corners. Hence, for areas of waste treatment we need assurances that processes are in place for waste treatment by waste suppliers and that they are being implemented satisfactorily and effectively.

Not only are houses affected by the flies but at least two local restaurants. All are not only upset by the presence of the flies but also the impact on health and disease. I will be visiting a local school in the next day or so to see if flies are a problem there

I know that Diane Bolan has fed the EA a number of complaints from residents. Veolia engineers who visited her home advised me that they were shocked by the number of flies they saw there. They had not appreciated the scale of the problem. However, it is ironic that there are not a large number of flies on the Highmoor site.

The key families of flies present on targets on other landfill sites in many parts of the UK are Muscidae, principally Musca domestica L.(common house fly), Calliphoridae, (primarily ‘blue’ and ‘green’ bottles), and Sarcophagidae (flesh flies). In contrast, the families of flies found on targets immediately outside the working landfill site and in the nearby surrounding area, are largely vegetation-feeding or parasitic flies, together with other non-fly insects. We must also remember that we in Saddleworth we live in a rural area where manure is stacked in certain locations and spread on fields. Consequently we need to establish if flies breed in and migrate from these areas.

 

The problem of flies is causing great upset to the residents. Some members of the public living near landfill sites view the sites as a source of nuisance flies and their associated diseases.  Both these factors contribute to frequent complaints to Environmental Health Officers about landfill operations. However, I’m not sure if we have made overtures to Oldham’s Environmental Health officers.

 

I await a response from the EA about setting up a meeting.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST

 

Dr Paul Bond and Mr Chris Birch, Environment Specialists from Hilson Moran, visited the site to explore and discuss Dr Bond’s role as an Environment Specialist representing and reporting to the residents.

We discussed Dr Bond’s role from the point of view of complementing that of the ‘Sleeping Policeman’ with the aim of ensuring that appropriate issues, techniques, and systems are monitored effectively during the weekly inspections. To date the ‘Sleeping Policeman’ has focused on:

 

a.     Measures to prevent gas odour emissions to ensure that effective reporting procedures are in place.

b.    Inspecting the site for engineering integrity of gas and leachate systems.

c.    Monitoring drilling and engineering activities to ensure proper precautions are applied to prevent gas and leachate leaks.

d.    Viewing and monitoring surface water disposal.

e.    Inspecting capping operations and subsequent maintenance.

f.     Raising concerns with the EA about delays in granting engineering approvals that may affect gas seepage opportunities.

g.    Exploring issues about the problems of flies and vermin.

h.    Exploring issues and raising concerns about waste odours.  

i.      Reviewing levels of resident’s complaints.

j.      Reviewing QA procedures relevant to gas odour suppression and containment, leachate disposal, engineering operations and drilling operations.

k.    Raising residents’ concerns with Veolia and the Environment Agency.

l.      Visiting residents with Veolia’s staff to further examine complaints received.

m. Exploring and reviewing landsaping issues.

The proposed role of Dr Bond is:

1.    To carry out a survey of operations carried out by Veolia at Highmoor and records of residents’ complaints. The survey will establish a baseline of issues and effectiveness of current operations and associated environmental protection measures.

2.    To survey the levels of odours detected by the Jerome equipment which monitors any gas leaks within the quarry.  

3.    To ensure that the ‘Sleeping Policeman’ is monitoring all necessary activities and associated environmental issues.

4.    To develop a ‘checklist’ and ‘template’ of items and issues for the ‘Sleeping Policeman’ to monitor based on the baseline situation.

5.    To carry out follow up surveys if required.

6.    To periodically update the baseline situation.

Dr Bond will review the above proposed role and respond accordingly.

WASTE ODOUR SMELLS

Veolia has stared removing and repositioning waste previously dumped to accommodate shaping of the new cell currently being constructed.  Such activities present possibilities of releasing waste odours. Veloia submitted an odour management plan covering the work; the use of odour suppressant formed part of that plan. During the visit waste odours were minimal within the quarry.  However, today (8 July 2009) Diane Bolan, who lives very close to Highmoor, has submitted a complaint about waste odour.

Waste odours can arise from:

a.    Newly tipped waste. The active face is kept to a small area and covered in inert material at the end of the day to ‘cap’ waste odours.

b.    Vehicles entering the site laden with waste.

c.    Disturbance of waste due to repositioning activities (as described above).

I will seek advice from Veloia on today’s problem and its containment. Part of the waste odour problem was addressed to the EA with the query about odour suppressant being applied by suppliers of incoming loads. An answer from the EA to that query is awaited.

 Rob Knotts

July 2009

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