Anger over waste plant's fourfold growth plan
BBCPeople in north Cumbria have said they are "very, very angry" over proposals that could see a fourfold rise in the amount of rubbish processed at a local plant.
North West Recycling (NWR), based near Rockcliffe, north of Carlisle, is currently allowed to treat 150,300 tonnes of waste a year, but this would rise to 600,000 under a proposed change to its environmental permit.
Nearby residents said they were concerned about fire risk, a rise in the number of lorries and the company's record of alleged permit breaches.
NWR said "minor" historic permit breaches had been resolved and the proposed change would strengthen standards at the site.
The Environment Agency (EA) has published a draft decision stating it is minded to grant the permit variation.
John Story, a beef farmer whose land neighbours the NWR site, said he had experienced repeated problems with dust from the plant drifting on to his land.
"If there's going to be four times the amount [of waste] coming in, it's only going to make things worse," he said.
NWR described dust as "a shared challenge" that came from various sources, but added "all waste treatment activities within this permit are moving indoors, alongside improved site roads and additional dust extraction".
Residents are also concerned a rise in capacity would increase the risk of fire, and a rise in the number of lorries on the roads could cause pollution and affect safety.
A large fire burned at the site for a month in 2021, with residents complaining of breathing problems, sore throats and headaches from the fumes.
The EA alleged NWR had not managed the fire risk adequately and interviewed the company under caution, though the firm denied wrongdoing and no charges were brought.
'Toothless' regulator
Inspection reports from recent years also referred to alleged breaches of the site's environmental permit and fire prevention plan.
Local resident Anna Johnston said people were "very, very angry" about the proposed expansion and had "no trust in the company".
Sally Tears, from Rockcliffe, said the EA had not acted on residents' concerns about the site and described the regulator as "toothless".
NWR pointed to a recent document in which it rebutted the criticisms made by locals.
The paper described "historic" permit breaches as "minor" and said they had been resolved. It also rejected the suggestion by members of the public that NWR was a "bad operator".
In a statement to the BBC, NWR said the increase in capacity would be "phased", with compliance standards met at each stage.
A spokesperson said the proposals would "further strengthen site standards" and "directly address concerns around dust and fire safety".
They said any potential fire risk was "managed daily" through safety measures and its lorry drivers followed its driver standards policy, including a reduced speed limit.
The EA said the altered permit would impose requirements for upgrades that would "bring the site into full compliance".
It urged people to submit any new information to a consultation which is running until 4 September, after which a final decision will be taken.
