Calls for Hyndburn tip closure

Senior councillors have called for the temporary closure of a major East Lancashire rubbish tip plagued by smells and flocks of gulls.

Hyndburn borough’s Full Council council meeting passed a motion calling for ‘Urgent Action on the Impact of Whinney Hill Landfill Site’ when it met in Accrington Town Hall on Thursday.

The controversial tip in Altham operated by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery has been the subject of repeated complaints and takes rubbish from across Lancashire under a contract with the county council.

Last summer resident posted pictures and videos on social media of seagulls swarming around the site with some comparing the scenes to “something from a horror movie”.

There have also been complaints about smells, rats and flies.

Hyndburn Council’s deputy leader Cllr Noordad Aziz who proposed the motion to the meeting calling on SUEZ, Lancashire County Council and regulator the Environment Agency to draw up an action plan for sorting out the problems, said: ” A temporary closure is the only solution because the health and well being of people is paramount.

“This should not be happening to our residents.”

His called was backed by resources boss and Altham ward’s Cllr Vanessa Alexander who said people nearby could not put their washing out, fellow deputy lead Cllr Melissa Fisher who said the situation was ‘absolutely disgusting’ and borough environment boss Cllr Stuart Eaves who said seagulls were dropping pooh and part-eaten food in people’s gardens.

Peel ward Labour councillors Clare Pritchard said the smell from the tip was ‘disgusting’ and getting worse and she knew of cases where chicken bones has been dropped in nearby gardens and children had put them in their mouths adding: “It’s health and safety hazard now.”

Culture and parks boss Cllr Kimberly Whitehead said: “For me a temporary closure would not enough. We need to shut it.”

Opposition leader Cllr Zak Khan said his Conservative group would vote for the motion as action was needed but questioned where Hyndburn and Lancashire’s waste would go if Whinney Hill tip was temporarily closed.

The meeting resolved to write to Lancashire County Council, the Environment Agency, and SUEZ on the issue.

Richard Phillips, landfill operations manager at SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, said, “Whinney Hill landfill site has been in operation since the 1970’s and provides an essential service, managing primarily household waste from across Lancashire, including Hyndburn.

“Lancashire is home to one of the largest seagull colonies in Europe, which has grown in population following the pandemic causing seagulls to migrate further inland for food sources.

“As the birds are a protected species, we are able to take non-lethal preventative measures to ensure the seagulls do not feed from the site such as the use of gas canons, blank firing pistols, pyrotechnics, lasers and birds of prey.

“We are a responsible operator and recognise the inconvenience the birds cause.

“We would like to assure residents that we are actively working to deter the seagulls and will continue to take advice from Natural England to alleviate the problem on our neighbours.”