Quality of life harmed by tip stink, report finds

The smell from a landfill site is having a "significant impact on people's health and quality of life", a report has said.

The review was carried out by Lancashire County Council into odour emissions from the Jameson Road landfill site in Fleetwood.

Operator Transwaste, which has been contacted for comment, had been told by the Environment Agency (EA) to permanently cap parts of the site to contain the smell.

Lancashire's director of public health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, said although pollutant levels are below those associated with toxic harm, they were having "a very real impact".

The report, put together using data from bodies like the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS and the EA, found the smells were contributing to "ongoing symptoms, stress, sleep disturbance and reduced wellbeing".

Evidence from environmental monitoring and NHS data shows that people living nearby have reported a range of symptoms linked to odour exposure.

These include headaches, nausea, breathing irritation and anxiety, along with disruption to sleep, daily routines and overall quality of life.

The report said levels of pollutants were found to be below limits linked to serious harm.

Transwaste's permit was recently changed so it could only accept waste types that were unlikely to produce smells, such as inert waste like soil, concrete and bricks.

Dr Karunanithi has written to the EA setting out a number of recommendations, including targeted monitoring in affected residential areas.

He said: "It is essential that there is continued action to stop or significantly reduce odour at source and delivering lasting improvements for local communities."

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