Outrage as former asbestos site becomes unauthorised waste dumping ground

Wagons dumping unauthorised waste at TBA

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Residents have expressed outrage after discovering that the former Turner Brothers Asbestos (TBA) site is being used as a dumping ground for industrial waste – without permission from the council.

Trucks have been filmed arriving at the site on Rooley Moor Road, unloading mounds of waste and driving away empty almost daily.

When residents turned to Rochdale Council for an explanation, the Council said it was “unaware of activities on the site” and has since launched an investigation with the Environment Agency crime unit to establish how long it has been happening.

By law, the tipping of waste materials requires planning consent and an environment permit is required by the Environment Agency.

Long-standing Save Spodden Valley campaigner Jason Addy says local people have been left “completely in the dark” about the activities.

Mr Addy said: “Dozens of tipper lorries are entering the site throughout the working week. They leave empty. People have asked the site's security guards who have suggested this is building waste being temporarily stored on site.”

He added that it is “imperative” that the facts of current activities are explained to the public, with details of what legislation needs to be followed and which statutory bodies are responsible to ensure the safety of the public and site workers.

He continued: “Some time ago, Rochdale Council scrapped the TBA Working Party - this had been an important conduit of information about the former TBA site. It appears communication between Rochdale Council and local people has stopped.”

Local resident Carl Faulkner said that the amount of waste being dumped is increasing daily. He said: “The site is now being used as a landfill for industrial waste. I estimate that there is in the region of 50 mounds of waste strategically scattered throughout the site.

“Notwithstanding the current and ongoing issues with this asbestos-riddled site, I do not recall any public consultation taking place for this area to become a landfill site.”

A council spokesperson said: “The council was unaware of activities on the site. The Environment Agency has been notified and site visits have been made. The Environment Agency enviro crime Unit is now undertaking an investigation into the situation.”

Photographs of trucks with 'Digway Environmental' have been provided to Rochdale Online. The company describes itself as “construction and waste activities service”.

Digway Environmental have been approached for comment.