The Environment Agency has revoked Mineral Processing Ltd.’s environmental permit after accusing it of showing a ‘total disregard’ for local residents.
The Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal made by Mineral Processing against the Environment Agency issuing a suspension notice at the site in Yorkshire.
The Inspectorate agreed that the waste on site exceeded the permitted amount ‘by some considerable margin’.
The dismissal also established that waste was being misdescribed as waste being brought onto the site was not allowed by the permit.
This includes evidence from Environment Agency testing in 2022 that found hazardous substances, which is not permitted.
The Planning Inspectorate also agreed there is a risk of pollution from the site, including leachate entering ground waters and surface waters; waste escaping from the site as dust and litter; odour from deposited waste; and a risk to human health or the quality of the environment from increased methane levels.
The Environment Agency says it served the notice to revoke the site’s environmental permit as part of its enforcement efforts to reduce the impact Mineral Processing is having on the local community.
Mineral Processing Ltd has shown a total disregard for the regulatory efforts of the Environment Agency and the impact on local residents and the environment.
Once the notice is in effect, Mineral Processing must take the steps set out in the notice to remove waste from the site. If it does not comply with the notice, it will be committing an offence.
Mineral Processing has 20 working days to appeal the decision through the Planning Inspectorate. If an appeal is made against the revocation, the permit will remain in place until the outcome of the appeal.
Carly Chambers, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire commented: “Mineral Processing Ltd has shown a total disregard for the regulatory efforts of the Environment Agency and the impact on local residents and the environment.
“Following the decision by the Planning Inspectorate, we have therefore taken immediate action to revoke the environmental permit for this site.
“We know the impact this site is having on the local community and we continue to take robust action against the operator. We are also investigating suspected offences committed since the suspension notice was issued.”
As well as revoking the permit, the Environment Agency says it is investigating suspected offences committed since it issued a suspension notice in June 2024.
The Environment Agency says it is currently carrying out odour monitoring in the area to collect evidence to determine the impact on the environment and community.
The site’s operator is also required to submit an Odour Management Plan to address the ongoing odour pollution.
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