A proposal to dramatically increase the amount of trash handled at a waste plant in north Cumbria is drawing fierce backlash from neighbors who say they are being asked to shoulder the risks of a much larger industrial operation.
Residents living near North West Recycling's site near Rockcliffe, north of Carlisle, say the expansion could mean more dust, more trucks, and more danger after a major fire already disrupted the area, according to the BBC.
Here's what to know
North West Recycling wants to amend its environmental permit so the site can process far more material each year.
NWR is seeking to scale processing from 165,678 US tons (150,300 tonnes) to 661,387 US tons (600,000 tonnes) — about four times the current amount.
A draft decision from the Environment Agency, the BBC reported, indicated the regulator is inclined to allow the change despite sustained objections from nearby residents.
For locals, the issue is not only how large the increase would be, but whether the company and the regulator have done enough to justify public confidence in an expansion of that size.
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Neighboring beef farmer John Story said dust from the site has repeatedly blown onto his land.
"If there's going to be four times the amount [of waste] coming in, it's only going to make things worse," he fretted.
More background
Memories of the plant's past problems have intensified the dispute.
The BBC reported that a major fire at the site in 2021 burned for a month, and residents said the fumes caused breathing problems, sore throats, and headaches.
NWR denied wrongdoing, and no charges followed, but the BBC said the Environment Agency interviewed the company under caution after concluding that it had not properly managed fire risk.
The broadcaster also reported that inspection reports pointed to alleged breaches of the site's environmental permit and fire prevention plan.
Another concern for locals is traffic: they say a bigger operation could put more lorries on nearby roads, with consequences for safety, noise, and air pollution.
Rockcliffe resident Sally Tears said locals' complaints had gone unanswered by the Environment Agency and called the regulator "toothless."
What's being done?
In response to the backlash, North West Recycling has argued that earlier problems were limited and have already been dealt with.
The company said "minor" historic permit breaches had been resolved and disputed residents' characterization of it as a "bad operator."
On the issue of dust, NWR framed it as dealing with "a shared challenge" involving multiple sources and added that "all waste treatment activities within this permit are moving indoors, alongside improved site roads and additional dust extraction."
The company also said the permit change would raise standards at the site rather than reduce them.
The permit variation is still working its way through the regulatory process.
Local resident Anna Johnston said the proposal had left people "very, very angry" and with "no trust in the company."
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