Stench of Galashiels rubbish dump still lingering on
A LANDFILL site in Galashiels is still kicking up a stink, writes Kenny Paterson.
Residents in the town say the stench from the Easter Langlee rubbish tip can still be noticeable, despite Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)installing an odour-neutralising system, or giant air freshener, last year.
One Galashiels homeowner told us: “It seems when the weather is cold the smell is stronger.
“I regularly go walking over Gala Hill and have smelt the tip from there. I also know of a friend who lives in the Wood Street area of the town and they say they have smelt it there.
“I think it has got better in recent weeks, but the stink is definitely still present.”
Ross Sharp-Dent, the council’s waste manager, said it has extended its landfill gas management system which, alongside the air freshener, will combat the smell.
He added: “It does take time to balance the wells and get the system operating at optimum levels, however, we noticed an improvement almost immediately on site. We are working with our landfill gas contractor to maximise the efficiency of the landfill gas management system and expect these works to be completed within the next two weeks.”
A SEPA spokesman said it has not been aware of an odour issue since the new gas management system was introduced. He added: “We would encourage anyone continuing to experience unpleasant odours in the vicinity of the landfill to contact us on 01896 754797 or 0800 807060 so that we can investigate further.”
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Weather for Galashiels
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 3 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: North east
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