THE impacts of living next to a huge waste incinerator in Runcorn have been shared, including ‘damage to mental and physical health'.
The concerns of Runcorn residents living near the town’s Viridor plant have been aired by the area’s MP.
Runcorn and Helsby MP Sarah Pochin spoke during a debate in Westminster on Wednesday on waste management sites.
The Reform UK MP urged the Government to ‘listen to residents, let their voices be heard, and compensate them for what is happening to their day-to-day lives’.
“It is so important that I speak on this issue, as in my constituency we have an incinerator operated by a company called Viridor, which has been in operation for the last 12 years,” Ms Pochin said.
“It processes waste from all around the country, very little of which is produced by the actual residents of Runcorn.
“Residents have to live with problems including dreadful smells at times and rubbish strewn around the approaching roads from the heavy goods vehicles that deliver the waste.
“There is noise 24 hours a day – the HGVs have an operational licence for 24 hours a day, and there is the mechanical noise from the plant itself.
“Every day, 275 HGVs are allowed to go in and out of the plant. I have stood there, endlessly watching one after another.
“The noise and smell are horrific, with 3,000 tonnes of waste processed in the plant every day. The air pollution at times is a disgrace.
“As we have heard, people cannot hang out their washing. There are even layers of dust on cars.
“There is a physical and mental effect on health. Residents cannot sleep or open their windows.
“As a consequence, house prices are severely devalued. Why should residents have to move, when some have lived there all their lives?
“Now, even if they wanted to move, they cannot sell their homes because of the incinerator and they feel trapped.”
Ms Pochin asked the Government to consider offering financial support to families unable to move because they cannot sell their homes due to the proximity of incinerators such as the one in Runcorn.
She continued: “To return to the operator, in December 2023, Viridor paid out £1million across 180 local households to keep them quiet.
“Households signed a non-disclosure agreement so they could never talk to the press about the conditions they live in.
“That £4,500 per household is a lot of money for some of my residents and would have been especially welcome at Christmas.
“It was meant to keep them quiet, and it is a disgrace.”
The MP called on the Environment Agency to be timely in its response, commenting: “It is no good residents ringing and the Environment Agency coming out a week later, when the smog or smell has gone.
“There are now also issues with vermin such as rats and flies, and concerns about diseases spread by birds flying in and out of operating doors left open.
“Those doors are meant to shut between each delivery, but they are left open for birds to fly in and out, potentially spreading disease.
“The burden of proof is always on the residents to clock and document all this. Why should it be that way?”
Ms Pochin concluded: “I again ask the minister to shift the burden of proof from the residents and give the Environment Agency the power to shut down the operation until the complaint or issue is sorted.
“It is often not just one major incident, such as a fire – it is a continual build-up, wearing down residents until they are desperate. They feel forgotten and unheard.
“Deprived towns such as Runcorn have been used as a dumping ground for the nation’s rubbish.
“The least the Government can do is listen to residents, let their voices be heard, and compensate them for what is happening to their day-to-day lives.”
Emma Hardy, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, also spoke during the debate.
She said: “People rightly expect their community to be a safe, clean and pleasant place to live.
“They expect clean air, thriving natural spaces and confidence that waste is being managed responsibly.
“Most importantly, they expect environmental regulation and waste management to be working in the interests of people. I absolutely agree, and so does the Government.
“Nobody should feel trapped in their homes, workplaces, or schools because bad smells mean that they cannot go outside or even open their windows.
“We are obviously keeping a very close eye on sites, and we are using our regulatory powers through the Environment Agency to ensure that operators are held accountable for poor compliance.
“Let me be clear: where compliance falls short at any waste site, the regulator is prepared to take further action as necessary, and it will work closely with the Government to ensure that communities are protected from serious harm.
“The Environment Agency needs better enforcement powers, which is why we have committed in the waste crime action plan to give more powers to the Environment Agency as a priority for the teams.”
In response, a Viridor spokesman said: “We hear and understand the concerns raised by Sarah and residents regarding our Runcorn facility, and we are committed to improving the situation.
“The damaged shutter door, which has been the cause of the issue, has now been fully repaired, and we have reinforced our site and contractor procedures to speed up repairs when damage occurs.
“We acknowledge that we did not communicate early and clearly with residents about this issue and apologise.
“Our priority is to be a responsible, transparent neighbour.
“We are actively working with residents, local representatives, and the Environment Agency to ensure that our operations meet the high standards the community expects and deserves.”
They added that the recent issue with the operating door was caused when a vehicle operated by a third party damaged door controls while leaving the site, and that the door was fixed on June 27.
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