Residents in Duckmanton, Derbyshire, claim their lives are being made a misery by a massive landfill site that now looms over their village, bringing swarms of flies, thick clouds of dust, and an unbearable stench. The site, which has grown considerably over the years, has encroached upon the hillsides overlooking homes, leaving locals feeling like "prisoners in their own home."
Daily struggles with flies and dust
Amy Jackson, a mother of four, said: "As a mother raising children in this village, I am deeply distressed by the appalling conditions created by the landfill site on our doorstep. What should be a safe and nurturing environment for my family has become a daily struggle." She described how during hot weather, the family could not open windows due to the overpowering odour, and children could not play outside without flies landing on their food and toys. Jackson has spent a "significant" sum on fly traps and sticky tapes, but the flies remain everywhere.
Marie Norman, 54, a carer, said the problem has worsened her asthma, forcing her to use her inhaler more often. She added: "I can't have my windows closed due to breathing issues, but when they are open my house gets covered in dust. I lose count of how many flies are in my house at any one time."
Residents describe morning rituals of fly-killing
Gary Berresford, 38, whose home sits just 50 feet from the landfill boundary, said killing flies has become part of his daily routine. "Every morning a new batch of flies manage to find their way through the gaps in the windows into the house. A part of my morning ritual every day is having my coffee and going around shooting flies for about 20 minutes." He invested in a Bug-A-Salt gun to kill flies and said his fly traps fill up in days. On hot and breezy days, the smell becomes "unbelievably bad," comparing it to putting his head over a dustbin.
Berresford added: "The original hole has been filled and they've moved across the site. Now instead of filling a hole they are just adding to a hillside. I don't see how they can safely contain the waste and smell now."
Impact on wider community and property concerns
The problem also affects residents in nearby Long Duckmanton, over a mile away. Catherine McConologue, a mother of two, said: "Our cars are constantly covered in dust, the flies are horrendous, and the stench is absolutely awful. With the flies comes the issue of maggots... it's mortifying." She noted that the problems have worsened over the last few years, raising concerns about public health and property prices.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was forced to evacuate her home at 2am due to the smell, which caused her to gag and feel sick. She said: "I shut all the windows even though it was hot, put the air purifier on, and the fan. I was poorly all day Sunday."
History of the landfill site and regulatory response
The Erin landfill site opened in 1999 at a former colliery site. It was initially operated by Viridor before being taken over by Valencia, which currently operates it. The site was set to close in 2021 but received permission to remain open until 2036. In recent days, Valencia received approval to start operations in a newly engineered landfill cell.
Councillor Mick Bagshaw, Staveley Town Council member for Duckmanton Ward, said he has received numerous complaints. "Residents in Duckmanton and Poolsbrook deserve to enjoy their homes, gardens, and sunshine. They shouldn't have to put up with smells, continuous purchases of expensive fly traps and sprays, and having to throw away meals because flies land on them."
Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said: "I have heard from many local Duckmanton residents that during the current hot spell, the odours emitted from Erin Landfill have become unbearable... These reports are totally unacceptable. If the landfill operators cannot address this smell, the regulator must step in and take action."
Operator and Environment Agency statements
A Valencia spokesperson said: "We continue to operate the landfill site in accordance with our environmental permit and planning conditions, this includes ensuring that any dust and odour is controlled within the site. During the recent heatwave we have increased our dust suppression efforts and will continue to monitor its effectiveness on a daily basis. The Environment Agency regularly visit the site to inspect for evidence of flies and have not found an issue in recent weeks. We have also increased our daily cover activity to further ensure that ageing waste is not able to cause unpleasant odour issues for residents. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that the landfill odour has caused. In recent days, Valencia has received approval to start operations in a newly engineered landfill cell. As part of this, stockpiled waste is being exposed before being tipped into the new cell. The team onsite have responded to the increase in odour by closing the site to waste deliveries, and increasing soil capping to reduce odours. We anticipated that all waste will have been tipped, and covered in the coming days, with landfill gas infrastructure then extracting the gas. The Environment Agency are aware of the actions we have taken."
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are pressing the operator to take steps to mitigate recent odour issues at this site. The situation is gradually improving and operations on site are now focused solely on resolving this issue. Communities should not have to tolerate odours, and we understand the impact this can have. We are inspecting the site regularly and if we do not see improvements, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action if required."
