A mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant in Cumbria that was forced to close because of a fly infestation, has now been reopened after the Environment Agency (EA) said it was ‘satisfied’ that the problem had been resolved.
The site, which is operated by Shanks Waste Management Ltd (Shanks) on behalf of Cumbria County Council, sorts waste to remove recyclables, before the remaining material is shredded, dried and transformed into a solid fuel. It is run by Shanks on a 25-year contract with the local authority.
However, the company was served a Regulation 36 Notice (concerning environmental assessments) on 14 June contending that Shanks had not taken ‘sufficient action’ to prevent or minimise the presence of flies at the facility.
The company then received a formal regulatory notice from the EA on 1 August after a series of inspections found an ‘unacceptable’ level of flies in the area, with the EA temporarily suspending all waste deliveries to the plant on 5 August.
Shanks was ordered to clear the site of waste by 19 August, wash and/or disinfect the plant to prevent the ‘breeding and release’ of flies by 24 August, before finally implementing an improvement plan to address inspectors’ concerns by 30 August.
In a statement issued on 5 August, the waste management company said: “Shanks is taking this matter very seriously. We are working hard to rectify the situation as soon as possible and to ensure that the issues do not recur.”
Site reopened
However, the EA has now said that it was ‘satisfied’ that the situation had improved and that the facility could resume operations.
Speaking to the BBC, an Environment Agency spokesman said: "Last month, following extensive investigations, we served a notice to Shanks to prevent the operator from accepting waste on its site until effective control measures had been put in place to control flies.
"We can now report that we are satisfied the timetable of targets we set have been achieved and the situation has been improved. This notice has now been lifted with immediate effect."
He added that the EA would continue to monitor the site.
Read more about the Barrow MBT permit suspension.
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.