Coopersknowe residents kick up a stink

Ally McGilvray • Published 16 Nov 2012 06:30 3 Comments

A GIANT air freshener installed at the rubbish dump in Galashiels to make it smell nicer is not working, it has been claimed.

Coopersknowe residents have complained the smell from the landfill site at Easter Langlee was worse than ever on Monday night - and is now filling their homes.

And they have threatened to withhold their council tax unless the local authority takes action.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, told the Border Telegraph: "It's ridiculous. I wouldn't go outside to light a match." And he added: "Now it's coming down the chimney into our house."

A spokesperson for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: "SEPA has received a number of recent complaints regarding odour issues associated with the site in question. The main odour problems have been attributed to excess landfill gas which is not being captured by existing collection systems. The operator has now submitted plans, which have been agreed by SEPA, to extend the existing landfill gas collection system in order to combat the problem.

"As an interim measure, SEPA requested the operator use an odour neutralising spraying system at the site which has been in place for the last few weeks. However, the system stopped working over the weekend which may have led to worse than normal odours. SEPA has been liaising with the operator and it is hoped the system will be fully functional again within the next 24 hours."

Scottish Borders Council insisted it was working with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency to address the problem. Waste Manager Ross Sharp-Dent said: "A meeting is scheduled with local residents, which SEPA will attend."

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This article appeared in Border Telegraph 15 Nov 12

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• 

  RichardJ
  Unregistered User
  Nov 18, 10:25
  Report comment

  This is ridiculous. The dump was there long before those houses were and SBC and SEPA are spending public money trying to fix a problem, which is going to be impossible to resolve. It calls into question the intelligence of the home owners who decided to buy a house next to a dump! What smells were they expecting.....flowers? The SBC and SEPA should tell them where to go. Face the fact home owners, you've bought a pig in a poke, so just get on with it, and stop wasting public money.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 5     No 0

• 

  wull
  Unregistered User
  Nov 18, 11:16
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  I AGREE WITH RICHARDJ, MAYBE A WITH A BIT MORE FORESIGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE DUMP, I WONDER IF THE NEW HOUSES ACROSS THE ROAD AT MELROSE GAIT WILL HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT, LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE YOU DONT HAVE FAR TO GO TO DUMP YOUR EXCESS RUBBISH..
  
  Recommend?   Yes 4     No 0

• 

  sandib
  Unregistered User
  Nov 23, 23:32
  Report comment

  Oh how I agree with Wull and Richard. Why on earth build in the first place and buyer beware, it's next to a dump...DOH!!! get a life and stop wasting money on giant air fresheners.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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