Waste Site Near Chichester Ordered To Stop Accepting Rubbish Over Fire And Pollution Risks

A waste recycling site near Chichester has been ordered to stop accepting waste with immediate effect after Environment Agency officers identified serious fire safety and pollution concerns.

The Environment Agency has suspended the environmental permit of Twyford Recycling Limited, which operates a tyre recycling facility near Chichester.

During a site inspection on Thursday (June 18), officers found waste tyres were being stored in a way that increased the risk of fire and could make any blaze more difficult to tackle.

The agency also raised concerns about inadequate firefighting water supplies and the potential impact a fire could have on nearby communities and the environment.

Officials warned that smoke from a major fire could be carried towards Chichester and the A27, while water used to extinguish a blaze could pollute the nearby River Lavant and local groundwater.

As a result, the company has been told it must not bring any additional waste onto the site and has been ordered to remove loose, shredded and baled tyres to eliminate pollution risks.

The work must be completed by July 2.

Michael Turner, Area Environment Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

"When we find a waste site not playing by the rules, we step in and take swift action to shut it down.

"We have firmly told the operator no more waste is allowed and to get rid of the risk of pollution before it blights the community and the environment."

The inspection formed part of a wider waste enforcement operation, which also included roadside checks on vehicles entering and leaving the site.

Twyford Recycling Limited has the right to appeal the suspension through the Planning Inspectorate within two months.

However, the requirements of the notice must still be complied with while any appeal is considered.