It has been claimed the smoke “appears regularly”
A plume of smoke seen in October(Image: Copyright Unknown)
Concerns have been raised in Wirral about “a massive plume of smoke” that “appears regularly” on the other side of the Mersey. A councillor claimed it had originated from waste being burned at a Liverpool scrapyard.
At a Wirral Council environment committee meeting on October 20, Cllr Gail Jenkinson raised an urgent question after she was sent a photograph that day of “a massive plume of smoke which I understand appears regularly from debris being burned at a Liverpool scrap yard”.
Cllr Jenkinson said the plume of smoke “goes hundreds of feet into the area and blows over to the Wirral” and wanted to see action taken.
Labour councillor Liz Grey, who chairs the committee, said she would contact authorities over on the Liverpool side to “find out what’s going on there”.
After the meeting, Cllr Jenkinson told the ECHO: “Poor lung health is a rising problem nationally and so cleaning our air has long been a priority for the Greens and Wirral Council.
“To see this massive, black plume of acrid smoke reaching hundreds of feet in the air and being blown across Liverpool and over to the Wirral is a cause of great concern, especially as I understand it is becoming more frequent.
“Allowing these noxious gases to be released straight into the atmosphere is irresponsible and reprehensible and must be stopped immediately. I hope that the appropriate Liverpool authority will investigate and take action with all haste.”
A fire took place at a metals recycling site on Regent Road in Liverpool on July 19 operated by S Norton. On October 16, a fire occurred at a separate site several streets away on Lyster Road where a shredding unit had caught on fire.
Mick Claes, the environment manager at S Norton, said: “All our sites operate under strict environmental permits and are regularly inspected by the Environment Agency.
“We have carried out a full internal investigation and will implement any further improvements identified – in addition to the robust controls we already have in place.
“Our initial review [of the July 19 incident] indicates that the fire was most likely caused by a battery that had been inadvertently discarded within incoming waste materials.
“Batteries hidden in waste electrical items continue to present a growing risk across the recycling industry. We are working with the Environment Agency and industry partners to strengthen prevention measures and raise public awareness about the safe and proper disposal of batteries.
“S. Norton has been part of the Liverpool community for more than 60 years, recycling over 1.5 million tonnes of waste metals each year and employing more than 400 people.
“Through this work, we support the circular economy and remain committed to operating responsibly, minimising environmental impact and safeguarding the wellbeing of our workforce and neighbours.
“We will continue to prioritise safe, sustainable operations and maintain engagement with our community.”