The Tarbolton landfill site cannot be allowed to sit in its current state any longer according to Brian Whittle. The South Scotland Region MSP was speaking following a visit to the site to see the scale of the problem for himself.
Since the operator of the landfill went into administration, the site has been left to decline, with none of the normal maintenance work to manage gas and contaminated water and prevent environmental contamination. This means contaminated leachate, which would normally be diluted and treated, is escaping the site into neighbouring fields and watercourses.
While SEPA continue to monitor the situation and assess the impact on the local area and watercourses, there have been question marks over who is responsible for making the site safe and who should pay.
Now Brian is calling for the Scottish Government to commit the necessary funds to prevent any further decline in the condition of the site and ensure it’s properly maintained to protect the local environment.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“More than a year after the flaring system was switched off and the operators walked off the site, it’s obvious that the landfill cannot be left to decay indefinitely. From what I’ve seen today, it’s obvious that someone needs to take responsibility for looking after the site and making it safe.
While there are a number of legal issues surrounding the site, none of that prevents action to protect local residents and the environment.
I’m in regular contact with SEPA about the site and have been pressing the Scottish Government to step in and work with South Ayrshire Council to take responsibility for the site and deal with these problems before the situation gets any worse.
We can deal with recriminations later, but right now the priority has to be safety.”
