Toxic dust at
Parkwood Spills of incinerator fly ash, which contains dioxins and other highly toxic materials, have happened at Parkwood landfill site, as revealed at the annual general meeting of Parkwood Landfill Action Group (PLAG) in July. Site owners Viridor, part of Pennon Group plc, promised that all such problems would end a year ago. But in March this year the Environment Agency, responsible for monitoring the site, reported that on 6 out of 7 visits to the site, they had witnessed spills of fly ash. The ash was spilt before it could be mixed with liquid to prevent it from blowing away. Fly ash is imported to the site from other parts of the UK. The fly ash produced by the controversial Sheffield incinerator is dumped at another site, in Derbyshire. In Issue 19, February 2002 the Messenger revealed that 10 tonnes of fly ash was being brought from Edmonton, north London, and dumped at Parkwood every day. People living near the site report unbearable smells escaping from it over the summer, although all the equipment that should deal with the smells has apparently been working properly. In January a new contract and license for the site will ban the escape of odours from the site. Yet Viridor has admitted that it could never completely stop them escaping. The gases given off by underground putrefaction should be collected and burned by high temperature flares. Before the gas reaches the flares, it should be cleaned by a ‘scrubber’. This has not been working, so the flares have been emitting substances other than harmless water and carbon dioxide. PLAG is demanding that Sheffield Council’s working group on Parkwood should reconvene in response to the continuing problems with the landfill site. Contacts Shirecliffe Tenants’ and Residents’ Association:
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(Potograph copyright
©Nuala Price) |
