Environmental permit issued for controversial bulking facility at Abermule

Powys County Council has been granted an environmental permit to operate a bulking facility for non-hazardous waste in Abermule, following approval from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

The permit, issued on July 31st, comes after Powys County Council reapplied for a permit in June 2022, following a previous refusal by the environmental regulator in March of the same year.

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Previously, local residents had expressed concerns regarding fire suppression measures at the site and unacceptable levels of odour.

However, NRW conducted a thorough determination process, which included a full technical assessment, two public consultations, and several information requests to the applicant.

Under the issued permit, the facility will be allowed to accept and process up to 22,500 tonnes of non-hazardous waste annually. At any given time, a maximum of 425 tonnes will be kept on site.

Ann Weedy, NRW's Mid Wales Operations Manager, stated:

"We are confident that the proposals in the application meet the necessary standards to operate the site without damaging the local environment. Our officers have worked diligently and conscientiously to assess this application, and I am grateful to them for their hard work."

Weedy also emphasized that the issuing of the permit does not mark the end of NRW's regulatory involvement.

The bulking facility will be periodically inspected to ensure compliance with the permit's conditions, with the authority having the power to request improvements where necessary.

It is important to note that the only permitted treatment activity on the site is the bulking up of materials. Incoming materials will be segregated prior to arrival, eliminating the need for manual sorting or separation. Bulking up involves consolidating smaller quantities of materials into larger quantities for easier and more efficient processing and transportation to other locations.