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Solution Found to Oswaldtwistle Waste Issue

Published Friday 27th July 2012 in Community and living news

Statement from the Environment Agency and Hyndburn Borough Council - latest update 20 August 2012

Latest update - 20 August 2012

Council Leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson said, "I'm happy to report that around 4000 tons of waste material has now been removed from the site.  I would also like to remind local people that the land is privately owned and that the remedial work being carried out creates potential dangers with large scale machinery operating there, plus large ditches and holes on the site, so please keep away from the area.

Our officers met with Lancashire County Council and Environment Agency officials after local residents raised the problem of the fly infestation with us and by working together, we've ensured that the landowner and the waste company acted quickly to remove the waste.

The Environment Agency and Lancashire County Council will continue to monitor the site and I will be checking with both of them and local residents to ensure things have returned to normal over the coming weeks."

For more updates visit the environment agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

 

 

Haulage Contractors are now on site at Nook Lane in Oswaldtwistle and the waste there is being treated with pesticide and starting to be moved.

To read the statement made by Cllr Clare Pritchard, click the link below:

Statement made by Cllr Clare Pritchard at Cabinet 1 August 2012

Nook Lane waste update 7 August 2012

Follow this link for the Environment Agency's latest update on 3 August

Original Statement Issued on 27 July 2012

This is is the statement issued yesterday after Hyndburn Council met with the Environment Agency, Lancashire County Council, Blakeley's Waste Management Limited, and Lockgate/Amcis (landowners) in order to find a solution to the issues being faced by the community in Oswaldtwistle.
 
Both Blakeley's and Lockgate/Amcis will work together to start removing the waste from the site by early next week.

For the next few days, contractors will be working on site to complete a number of actions -

• Controlling and working to eradicate the fly infestation.
• Prioritising removing the waste bails which are causing the most problems.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Lancashire said, "We are pleased that we have been able to find a solution to the problems in Oswaldtwistle.

Officers from the Environment Agency and Hyndburn Borough Council will be onsite to monitor the removal of the waste and the work to eradicate the infestation of flies.

We understand that this issue has been distressing for the local residents and business. However, we wish to ask the local residents to remain patient while the waste is removed. In working with the council we hope to have the issues in the area resolved soon. 

The Environment Agency will always seek to get the company or individual involved to organise clean up. We don't feel it is appropriate to use taxpayers' money to pay for removal and clean up of illegal waste sites."

David Welsby, Chief Executive from Hyndburn Borough Council, said, "We take this situation extremely seriously and have had a very constructive meeting today to find a solution to the problem. We understand this has been having an unacceptable impact on the Hyndburn Community."

Advice re minimising fly infestation
The flies are house flies, blue bottles and greenbottles, to minimise, use fly papers, keep all windows and doors shut, ensure that work surfaces are cleaned prior to food preparation, cover all food and keep in fridge or cupboards to deter fly activity.

Keep yards and gardens clear of waste and make sure bin lids are down.

Limited stocks of fly papers will be available for households affected from The Civic Centre in Oswaldtwistle on Monday 30 July.  

Water contamination
We understand the Environment Agency has carried out tests at the site and we will publish the results on our website as soon as they are available.