Greengairs - SEPA Adopts Triple Tactic
Issued on 21 December 1998 - Ref W981202

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued a new Waste Management Licence for the Caird Environmental Ltd Hartlouphill Landfill site near Greengairs in North Lanarkshire. This new licence aims to give SEPA additional control over operations at the site which has been at the centre of public and press interest throughout 1998.

"The new site licence and conditions marks a significant step forward in the management and regulation of the site," said John Beveridge, Director, SEPA West Region. "The review of the old site licence which was issued in 1991 is part of our planned programme of upgrading and bringing consistency of approach to all such licences throughout Scotland. It was subject to a full consultation process and the old licence comprising 6 pages of conditions has been replaced with a new SEPA-style licence which has 20 pages of conditions, making it much more detailed and up-to-date," he added.

A similar exercise is currently being conducted in respect of the Shanks & McEwan (Northern) Ltd, Greengairs Landfill Site, and this is currently going through the consultation process.

In addition, SEPA will engage the services of an independent consultancy to carry out an air quality monitoring survey in and around the villages of Greengairs and Wattston. This monitoring is likely to be undertaken sometime in January.

"Since October, when SEPA suspended the licence to operate the Hartlouphill Landfill Site, there has been a great improvement in the management of the site with a considerable drop in the numbers of complaints. However, SEPA is taking this unusual step in order to provide as complete a picture of environmental conditions in the area as possible," said Mr Beveridge. "This will be the first occasion that SEPA has undertaken such an exercise and our willingness to invest in this type of approach will hopefully go some way to reassuring the residents of the Greengairs Community that we are continuing to keep a close watch on the situation."

SEPA has also initiated a joint working group with North Lanarkshire Council to look at both planning policy and strategic issues regarding the environment in the area. The group aims to meet for the first time in the new year.

"Mr Stan Cook, Director of Planning for North Lanarkshire Council said: "We welcome the opportunity to discuss areas of common concern in regulation and enforcement issues, particularly in respect of the recent problems with landfill sites and opencast coal sites in the area. The added benefit will be to consider, for the first time, the overview of potential problems in an area jointly between the Council and SEPA," he added.

ENDS

NOTES

1. There are two landfill sites situated in close proximity to the villages of Wattston and Greengairs: Hartlouphill, operated by Caird Environmental Ltd; and the Greengairs operated by Shanks & McEwan (Northern) Ltd. An opencast coal site is also operated by G&M Mining Ltd.
2. The Hartlouphill site has been in operation since 1991 when Monklands District Council granted a Waste Disposal Licence for the deposit of household, industrial and commercial waste. SEPA took over as the waste regulation authority in April 1996.

Charges under the Control of Pollution Act against both G&M Mining and Caird Environmental Ltd will be heard at Airdrie Sheriff Court today.

SEPA Press Office contacts

SEPA West Region Press Contacts
Public Relations Officer: Alison Hay. Tel: 01355 574226 Fax: 01355 574688
Mobile 0467 325226
Email: alison.hay@sepa.org.uk

SEPA Head Office Press Contacts
SEPA Public Affairs team- Direct telephone numbers: 01786 457723/4 Fax: 01786 448040

SEPA Head Office, Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, STIRLING FK9 4TR
Tel: 01786 457700 Fax: 01786 448040

Contact SEPA Head Office Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk

© SEPA 1998