A call for Welsh Government intervention has been made by Senedd Member Paul Davies, after residents in Pembrokeshire continue to suffer as a result of odours from Withyhedge landfill site in Haverfordwest.

It follows an online meeting on Wednesday, January 31, hosted by Natural Resources Wales in response to complaints by residents living near the Withyhedge Landfill site about odours originating from the site.

Mr Davies raised the matter in the Senedd Chamber and asked for the Welsh Government to intervene to support those affected and to ensure that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is undertaking its regulatory and enforcement duties effectively.

Following the request Mr Davies said, “Residents are continuing to suffer as a result of the terrible odours at Withyhedge landfill site and it’s vital that the Welsh Government intervenes to support those affected.”

“This is a public health concern and little action has been taken to resolve this matter - and that needs to change.”

“The Welsh Government is responsible for Natural Resources Wales and that’s why I asked for the Welsh Government to intervene and help support residents affected by the odours from the site. It’s crucial now that action is taken - and taken as soon as possible.”

In a statement issued on February 16, Natural Resources Wales apologised for the time taken to provide an update on Withyhedge Landfill and their regulatory actions:

“The situation has been dynamic, and we have wanted to ensure our updates are aligned with key events linked to resolving the odour issues associated with the landfill.

“A few weeks ago, the operator for Withyhedge Landfill (Resources Management Ltd, “RML”) submitted a proposal to NRW for installing the required engineering at the site to contain, manage and collect landfill gas on an uncapped area of waste. The proposal was developed to reduce odours as quickly as possible, in response to requests to prioritise this from other organisations and public representatives. However, it would have resulted in the site not being compliant with its permit.

The statement adds: “This week we have served an Enforcement Notice on RML clearly outlining the steps required of them to return to compliance and complete the landfill engineering work to contain and collect landfill gas. Based on our existing understanding of the primary source of odour, the issue should be resolved by a notice deadline of 5 April 2024.”

Instances of odour should be reported to NRW via their website.