Odour complaints around 'eggy' Telford tip drop as Environment Agency ramps up checks

The Environment Agency (EA) has reported a decrease in odour-related complaints at a Telford landfill following a mechanical breakdown that halted operations earlier this year.

People living near the Granville landfill site at Redhill, near Priorslee, have been complaining about a vile, “eggy” odour emanating from the Telford tip since March 2024.

After the EA stepped in, and amid calls to shut the site down last year, work began on installing wells to capture gas from deposited waste to help reduce the odour.

In recent months complaints around the smell increased again, with one weekend in March alone seeing more than 400 complaints submitted to the EA.

In response, the regulator asked the operator to review its landfill gas management plan and noted that the site had temporarily stopped accepting waste due to a mechanical breakdown.

The EA has now issued an update confirming that operations have resumed, odour complaints fell during April, and the revised gas management plan has been received.

A spokesperson said: “The mechanical breakdown that prevented waste from being accepted onto site has now been resolved and operations have resumed.

“We continue to undertake regular site inspections and odour assessments both during operational hours and out of hours in response to the reports we have received.

“We have now received the site’s gas management plan, which we are currently reviewing to ensure that appropriate measures are being implemented.

“We are continuing to attend regular meetings with the operator, the gas contractor, and Telford Council to monitor the situation and agree any further necessary actions.”

Local borough councillor Rachael Tyrrell said it was likely the increased odours were a result of wetter weather and a change in atmospheric conditions, which may have been exacerbated by the mechanical breakdown on the site.

She added that changes to how waste is processed - including shredding and the removal of recyclable materials such as metals - can also influence how the remaining non‑hazardous waste decomposes within the landfill cells.

“Given the level of complaints received by the Environment Agency, the site has become a priority with increased compliance and oversight monitoring,” she said.

“Unannounced visits now take place every few weeks instead of six‑monthly.”