Waste

Q. Why do we need landfill?  Should we not be recycling more instead?
A. The Government have set tough new targets to increase recycling and to reduce the reliance on landfill, however landfill still forms part of the waste hierarchy.  It is recognised that an element of Landfill is likely to be always required to form part of an integrated waste management system, as there will always be some residual waste which can not be dealt with in any other way.  We develop sites in areas where there is a recognised need for this sort of waste management.

Q. Who regulates your sites?
A. For every landfill site we develop we must apply to the Environment Agency for a Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) permit.  This permit is to ensure that the landfill will be designed and operated in a safe manner for people and the environment.  Under the permit we must submit our plans as to how we will engineer and operate the landfill site to protect the environment.  The Environment Agency will not issue us with a Permit until they are sure that our designs satisfy their requirements.  They will also inspect the site during its construction and during operations to ensure we comply with the terms of the permit.

Planning permissions for landfill sites will also contain conditions which must be met by the developer, planning authorities will carry out their own regulation of landfill sites in their area’s.

The Banks Group has also adopted an Environmental Policy ensuring its commitment to high environmental standards is adhered to on all sites.  Site specific environmental plans are developed as part of the planning process see the environmental policy page for further details.  This plan includes the company’s own environmental monitoring systems on operational sites.

Q. Does the waste contaminate the ground?
A. Landfill sites are carefully located, designed and engineered to ensure they do not contaminate the ground.  Each cell is lined with thick artificial liner as well having a natural clay liner normally 1 metre thick.  These prevent the escape of gases and liquids from the site.  Landfill sites also have a built in system to collect liquid from within the site, which comes from rain water, to remove, treat and discharge to the sewer.

Q. Does landfill have an impact on health?
A. The government through DEFRA commissioned an independent body to review the literature and evidence on the relative health and environmental effects of all the different waste management options; relative both to each other and to other activities affecting health and the environment.  The report was peer reviewed by the Royal Society.  This concluded that from evidence, the treatment of municipal solid waste has, at the most, a minor effect on human health and the environment.  This should be viewed in the light of benefits of collection and disposal of the waste we all generate.  If waste were not collected, treated and disposed, it would become a source of disease, odours, litter and pests.

Q. How does the waste reach the landfill sites?
A. Depending on the location of the site in respect of infrastructure, waste can reach a site via three main methods : -

1. Road – This is the most popular route for waste to be taken to a landfill site. Lorries will bring their loads along designated highway routes either by direct delivery or they will come from a transfer station where the waste has been bulked up.
2. Rail – Some sites will have access to a near by rail siding where the waste has been bulked up at a transfer station beforehand and is carried in specially designed containers.  This is a sustainable form of transport as it decreases the amount of traffic on the road and it also means that more waste can be delivered to the site by one vehicle.  However it is dependent on the location of a suitable rail facility as well as one having enough capacity.
3. Water – Some sites may have jetty’s, hence the waste can be delivered by barge.  Similar to rail, this option also provides a more sustainable form of transport.

Our sites are designed taking the local infrastructure in to account; finding the most suitable transport required to fulfil the waste management needs of the area.

Q. Who decides what the site will be restored to?
A. Our landscape architects work with the landowner, the local community, the local wildlife trust and the Landscape officers at local authorities to design a landscape which improves what was there before the site is developed.  So whether it is a former quarry or a derelict area of land, we aim to provide a restoration scheme which can provide benefits to local residents and existing and new wildlife habitats. 

Q. How do you choose a landfill site?
A. Essentially landfill sites are only built where there is a need for the facility, however choosing the right location for a site is a far more complicated process.  When an area has been identified as having a need for a new facility, a sieve mapping exercise commences to try to identify the most suitable site in that area.  These areas are usually on a county basis, however where there is a proven need for a regional facility we may look at all the counties in that region to try to accommodate a suitable site.  One of the first areas we look at in identifying a suitable site is the geology of an area; clay being the most preferable option.  After we have narrowed the search down to a few geologically suitable sites, we look to see which site would be the most suitable, taking into account factors such as:-

1. Proximity to transport networks
2. The size of the site
3. Proximity to other waste facilities in the area
4. Proximity to large areas of populations
5. The water table in the area
6. Opportunities to restore derelict land and former mineral workings

We must also adhere to the Landfill regulations and guidance notes issued by the government in choosing our sites to ensure only suitable sites are selected.

Once we have found a site which we believe matches the above criteria best, we will discuss the site with the Local Planning Authority and the Environment Agency to seek their views on the site. Ultimately we are very unlikely to pursue a site which shows strong opposition from the local planners and the Environment Agency from the start of the project.

Q. How do you stop litter blowing out of the landfill sites?
A. Litter is kept to a minimum through a system of netting designed to suit each individual site. We also continually compact the waste as it arrives and at the end of the day a layer of soil is put down to cover the waste to ensure it does not get disturbed during the night. Should climatic conditions be such that litter may be leaving the site, operations would be suspended for light material or a sheltered part of the site utilised.

Q. Does the waste attract large numbers of vermin and birds to the area?
A. By their very nature, it is inevitable that a landfill site has the potential to attract vermin, however operators must adhere to strict measures for the control of vermin set out under the PPC permit. This can be done by ensuring the landfill is covered during the night, there are also ways of controlling birds throughout the day by a variety of methods including birds of prey, kites and playing bird distress calls.  It is likely that the strict measures to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste that can go to landfill will help reduce the attraction of landfill sites to vermin and birds.

Q. Does landfill destroy wildlife habitats?
A. Full ecological surveys are carried out on proposed sites during the planning process to identify any sensitive wildlife habitats.  Sites are then designed taking these in to account. 

Under the Habitats Regulations for Great Britain the Environment Agency also has a duty to ensure that all PPC permit applications are checked for any potential impacts they may cause on the sites protected under the Habitats Regulations.

The restoration of sites also often involves the creation or improvement of wildlife habitats on the site and within the wildlife corridors around it.

Q. Do landfill sites cause unpleasant odours over a large area?
A. Waste with a biodegradable element will decay causing odour, however covering the waste on a regular basis and controlling the emissions of gas from the waste can significantly reduce the potential for odour emissions, and can rule out the possibility of odour affecting a wide area. 

The design of the site and the filling scheme will minimise the open operational area from which odours could emanate.  During filling, waste is covered daily to reduce odours and each area, once final levels have been achieved, is capped and a gas extraction scheme is installed.  This removes the gases caused by the decay of waste which can cause odours and burns them in a flare stack to eliminate odours.  Once sufficient gas is available, the gas is used to generate electricity and is classified as renewable energy.

Q. Do landfill sites reduce house prices in the area?
A. The company’s experience with previous projects has shown little impact on the price of houses located near to our developments.  Many well run and established landfill sites that have been operating for 10 or more years have seen major retail parks, housing estates and business parks developed in close proximity to them. The presence of the landfill has had no effect on the continued development of new projects.

Q. Do you operate landfill sites?  If not, how do you control the environmental issues associated with waste management sites?
A. The Banks Group uses its expertise in site identification, project management and our excellent planning success rate to help identify suitable, well designed waste management sites for areas throughout the UK. 

Because we do not collect waste or bid for disposal contracts we feel that we can direct our expertise to ensure that sites are developed so they can be worked to the best environmental standard. We secure a supply of waste to our sites by entering into a contract with those companies who do collect waste in the areas in which we operate. 

These contractual agreements ensure we always maintain an interest in our waste management sites to ensure they are being properly operated.  We also have excellent relationships with the major operators, who also have high environmental standards.