MP ramps up campaign to take action on ‘toxic’ Flusco landfill site

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has met with the Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh, to urge the Government to take stronger action against the owners of the Flusco waste tip in Newbiggin near Penrith.

Last month, the Government’s Planning Inspectorate upheld the decision to suspend Seletia’s permit, after the Environment Agency found that the site was at risk of causing pollution as it has exceeded its waste capacity.

The decision means that the site can no longer accept waste until measures have been put in place to prevent overflowing.

Tim pressed the minister to bring in tougher regulation, including treating waste crime as actual crime that the police deal with rather than being left in the hands of more limited agencies like the EA or local councils.

Tim and the minister were also joined by the MP for Carlisle, Julie Minns, who also has a Seletia-owned landfill site, Hespen Wood, in her constituency. 

Meanwhile Tim also raised this on the floor of the House of Commons today.

Speaking during DEFRA Questions this morning, Tim said: “My constituents who live close to the Flusco landfill site in Newbiggin are one of many communities right across the country bearing the brunt of this nationwide scandal. The owners of the site - a legitimate one on paper - have been judged to have flagrantly broken environmental regulations. 

“Like many other sites, this one has been ineffectively regulated and poorly policed.

“Residents cannot leave out their washing or let their kids play outside. In this heat especially, the stench can be unbearable, and the leachate and gases utterly intolerable. 

“Meanwhile, the country is being ripped off as the Government’s landfill taxes are being flouted to the tune of at least £1 billion every year. 

“Will the Government act urgently and powerfully to help my constituents and all those living near landfill sites, which in recent years have become toxic in every sense?”

Mary Creagh replied: “I was pleased to meet the honourable gentleman and my honourable friend the member for Carlisle to talk about the activities at these waste sites. 

“Unpicking the work happening there is a long and complex legal process involving multi-agency and cross-agency working. 

“We now have a properly funded waste crime enforcement unit. The funding for that unit was a mere £10 million in 2023-24, but it has had an extra £5 million this year to take it up to £15 million, and then we are doubling it to £30 million. 

“That is the way we take these people down.”