After nearly six months, Fleetwood still stinks - and the deadline for it to stop is tomorrow

The deadline for the end of a horrendous stench emitting from a landfill site is fast approaching - but locals say the town still stinks.

For the past six months, residents have been plagued by a "sulphur-like" pong which has affected their every day lives. Billowing from the Fleetwood landfill site on Jameson Road, locals have stopped opening their doors and windows and taking their dogs for a walk as the smell is all-consuming.

In April, LancsLive reported an update from the Environment Agency, stating Transwaste, the owners of the landfill site, were in breach of their environmental permit and had been instructed to cap the problem cell area. This was due to take a number of weeks to complete, with the date of May 15 given as a goalpost for completion.

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However, it looks like this date will not be reached.

Today (May 14), a statement from Transwaste read: "Lining work continues, but initial external delays beyond our control and bad weather have delayed progress slightly. However, as we approach completion, there should be a cumulative and noticeable reduction in odour as the face is sealed."

In response, resident Vicky Nash said: "No, no we haven't noticed that, not at all, and if anything, the gas and odour is much worse than the beginning of the year. So, if you could explain to us all, how this is possible when you have almost completed the cap, I think we'd all appreciate it, because in my opinion, this isn't doing anything to contain the gas and the odour from your landfill.... And rumour has it, you've started to dig up another cell now, so capping one and opening another is like p***ing in the vile stinking wind!"

Late last year, Fleetwood's landfill site was taken over by Transwaste holding a permit to accept non-hazardous waste for disposal, which is regulated by the Environment Agency. Landfill sites which have been covered for some time sees waste break down which generates landfill gas and when these re-open, there's an increased risk of odour and emissions due to older waste still present.

Updated by the Environment Agency, a number of reports have been made in regards to the nuisance smell. In February there were 75 reports to the government body, 1379 in March, 1157 in April and for May so far there have been 337 reports of the odour.

To combat the problem, officers are looking at "two distinct types of odour" which includes the 'bin waste' odour' and 'rotten egg' odour, more associated with landfill gas. Over the past six months, many residents have reported the nuisance smell and say it's even affecting their physical health as individuals have experienced nosebleeds, headaches and even breathing difficulties.

LancsLive contacted the Environment Agency and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to query whether the smell could really be the reason behind these health issues. UKHSA said any risk to physical health is "likely to be small" but alarmingly it "cannot be completely excluded."

However, this isn't a first for Transwaste as the operators have been linked to another nuisance site.

Permits are held by separate companies, but LancsLive have seen records showing Transwaste linked to Caird Peckfield Ltd, the operators of another nuisance site in Leeds. Peckfield Landfill Site in Micklefield was served an enforcement notice on December 13 after the operators breached the terms of their permit.