CONCERNS have been raised amid more and more waste from England being dumped in a controversial landfill site in Wrexham.

The latest statistics obtained by Plaid Cymru MS Llyr Gruffydd for the Hafod landfill site in Johnstown, Wrexham revealed that 61% of the waste dumped there is from England with the remainder coming from north Wales. Just 19% is from Wrexham itself.

The site, which is run by Stafford-based Enovert, has come under criticism in the past year amid ongoing odour issues. 

Residents have reported a "rotten egg" smell since October 2023, with an enforcement notice being issued to Enovert to address the issue in December. 

Last month, the issue was debated by Wrexham Council's Scrutiny committee, which said that parties needed to stop passing the buck, and address the matter. 

Llyr Gruffydd MSLlyr Gruffydd MS (Image: Submitted) In 2020 Mr Gruffydd, who represents north Wales in the Senedd, questioned the company about the origins of the waste material. Back then, more than a quarter (27%) came from the Wrexham area. 

Significantly more waste is now coming from Liverpool and Merseyside - 37% - as opposed to 21% in 2020.

Mr Gruffydd said: "The main concern is about the health and safety of the site and its impact on local residents. Back in 2020 people in the area were advised to close their windows during a heatwave because of the fumes from the fire that started on the site.

"Since then there have been ongoing concerns about the stink coming from the landfill, which affects residents in nearby Ruabon and Johnstown. The landfill has mainly been used by authorities in the north-west of England to dump waste away from their population and it's shameful that Wrexham residents are expected to just grin and bear it.

"Back in 2020, I received assurances from Wrexham Council that no municipal waste from the county was being dumped in Hafod. But the overall percentage of municipal waste from all authorities is increasing over the years and that may be the reason why the odour problems are becoming more pronounced now. 

"Residents want reassurance that the site is safe and the emissions are not harmful to local people's health. The growing level of waste being transported by lorries from across the border is another concern - aren't there any landfill sites closer to Liverpool, Manchester and Warrington? How long will residents near Hafod have to put up with this problem?"

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Mark Silvester, CEO of Enovert, said: "Enovert notes that the data provided is for the year to date for the period ending 31st October 2024 (a 10-month period) and a comparison of a full 12-month period would be needed to accurately see annualised disposal patterns. 

"Landfill sites such as Hafod serve as regionally significant waste infrastructure and, given the geography of suitably permitted treatment and disposal facilities, waste must travel both into and out of Wales for disposal. Landfill Tax was devolved in 2018 and since that time all Landfill Disposals Tax for waste entering the Hafod landfill site, including that from England, has been paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority which collects tax on behalf of the Welsh Assembly. 

"Enovert continues to engage with the regulator of the Hafod landfill site, Natural Resources Wales, regarding our operations there and to ensure that we maintain compliance with our environmental permit."

Lyndsey Rawlinson, Head of North East Wales Operations, NRW, said: “We understand the significant concern in the local community regarding the odour issues in Johnstown.

“Our officers conduct regular visits to Hafod Landfill Site, performing off-site odour assessments to ensure the landfill's operations are in line with their Environmental Permit. This includes strict conditions related to odour emissions. The site operator is actively working on enhancing the utilisation of landfill gas, which should help reduce odour emissions. Additionally, we are currently reviewing the site operator’s updated management procedures and their newly submitted action plan.

“The landfill operates under an Environmental Permit, which specifies amounts and types of waste that can be accepted at the site. The permitting regulations do not include provision for us to include limits regarding waste origin in permits. The landfill is privately owned and therefore the owners can decide where they bring waste from.

“We encourage residents to report any odours believed to be coming from the landfill by contacting us at 0300 065 3000 or via the 'Report It' form on our website. Reports are invaluable in helping us monitor and address these concerns effectively.”