Clayton Hall Landfill

Clayton Hall Landfill Site is located at Dawson Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley. The site is operated by Quercia Limited under Environmental Permit EPR/BV1364ID and is regulated by the Environment Agency.

The site occupies a former quarry and operates as a non-hazardous landfill. The permit allows the disposal of non-hazardous waste and the use of certain waste materials for landfill restoration.

There is also an industrial Recycling Centre on site.  This operates under a separate permit and allows machinery to processing waste.  

The Environment Agency regulates these permits to ensure waste activities are carried out in accordance with environmental permit conditions designed to protect people, local communities and the environment.

In September 2025, the permit was varied to allow an extension to Cell 4B (Phase 4) within the existing landfill area.

A copy of the environment permit can be found here - Clayton Hall permit

What activities are permitted at the site?

The environmental permit authorises several activities associated with operating, managing and restoring the landfill.

Disposal of non-hazardous waste

The site is permitted as a non-hazardous landfill. Most wastes accepted at the site are non-hazardous wastes that are authorised by the environmental permit. In some circumstances, specific waste types may be accepted under separate regulatory provisions where these are applicable and all relevant requirements are met.

Landfill restoration

When the landfill has reached its agreed height, it needs to be capped and restored.  Capping is low permeability material (either clay or a welded plastic membrane) to prevent rainwater getting in and landfill gas getting out. When the cap has been constructed, it is covered with soils and suitable waste materials in a process known as restoration of the landfill. Restoration helps create the approved final landform once landfill operations are complete.

Landfill gas management and energy recovery

As biodegradable waste breaks down, it produces landfill gas. The site is permitted to:

• Collect landfill gas
• Treat landfill gas
• Use landfill gas to generate energy
• Flare landfill gas when energy recovery is not possible

The permit requires appropriate measures to control landfill gas emissions and prevent gas migration beyond the site boundary.

Leachate management

The permit allows the collection, storage and treatment of leachate generated by the landfill. Treated leachate may be discharged to the sewer network in accordance with permit requirements.

Surface water management

The site includes drainage systems designed to manage rainfall and surface water. Monitoring and controls are in place to help protect nearby watercourses.

Annual waste limits

The permit limits the amount of waste that can be accepted each year to:

• 149,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste for disposal
• 149,000 tonnes of waste for landfill restoration

This gives a total annual limit of 298,000 tonnes.

The Environment Agency regulates Clayton Hall through a range of compliance and monitoring activities. These may include:

• Site inspections
• Assessment of environmental monitoring results
• Review of odour, noise or pollution complaints
• Assessment of landfill gas and leachate management systems
• Review of management plans and operational controls
• Enforcement action where appropriate

Operators must comply with permit conditions covering waste acceptance, landfill engineering, landfill gas management, leachate management, odour control, groundwater protection, surface water protection and environmental monitoring.

Where permit conditions are not met, the Environment Agency can require improvements and take enforcement action where necessary.

Landfill gas and odour management

What is landfill gas?

Landfill gas is produced naturally when biodegradable waste breaks down. It mainly contains methane and carbon dioxide, along with small amounts of trace gases. Some of these trace gases can contribute to odour if they are not effectively managed.

How is landfill gas managed?

The permit requires the operator to:

• Collect landfill gas through a gas extraction system
• Monitor landfill gas levels regularly both within the waste mass and at the site boundary
• Prevent gas migration beyond the site boundary
• Use collected gas to generate energy where possible
• Flare or otherwise treat the gas when energy recovery is not available

The permit also requires regular monitoring of landfill gas around the site boundary and within the landfill itself.

Managing odour

The permit requires emissions from the site to be free from odour at levels likely to cause pollution outside the site boundary unless the operator has implemented appropriate control measures.

The operator is required to maintain and implement an Odour Management Plan and take action to minimise odour impacts where necessary.

The Environment Agency may require further improvements if odour issues are identified.

Environmental monitoring

The permit requires extensive monitoring to help ensure the site is operating in accordance with permit requirements.

Groundwater monitoring

Groundwater monitoring boreholes are used to assess groundwater quality and ensure that pollution control measures remain effective. Monitoring includes substances such as ammoniacal nitrogen, chloride and other indicators of environmental performance. Monitoring of groundwater levels also helps to confirm whether or not the hydrogeological risk assessment that underpins the permit is valid.

Surface water monitoring

Surface water monitoring is undertaken at designated locations around the site. Monitoring helps assess water quality and ensure nearby watercourses are protected.

Landfill gas monitoring

Landfill gas is monitored at boreholes around the site, within the landfill and within the gas management system. This monitoring helps ensure landfill gas is being effectively collected and controlled.

Ambient air monitoring

The permit requires monitoring of:

• Methane
• Carbon dioxide
• Hydrogen sulphide
• Nitrogen oxides
• Sulphur oxides
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

at specified monitoring locations around the site.

Leachate monitoring

The operator must monitor both the level and quality of leachate generated within the landfill and manage it in accordance with permit requirements.

To access compliance assessment reports for Clayton Hall from 18th of August 2025 please click here

Please note that names of officers have been removed from these documents as disclosure would breach the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

Please note when the Environment Agency issues a Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) form, there is a 42-day holding period before the form is published online. This holding period allows operators time to challenge the contents of the CAR form through the EA’s regulatory appeals process. Further information can be found here(External link).

You can find all our community updates on the below links.

Most recent:

Clayton Hall Community Update 10 July 2026 can be found by clicking here

What type of landfill is Clayton Hall?

Clayton Hall is permitted as a non-hazardous landfill. The types of waste that can be accepted at the site are controlled by the environmental permit and, where applicable, other regulatory provisions.

What is landfill gas?

Landfill gas is produced naturally as biodegradable waste breaks down. It mainly contains methane and carbon dioxide together with trace gases.  

What happens to the landfill gas?

Landfill gas is collected through extraction systems. Where possible, it is used to generate energy. If energy recovery is not possible, the gas is flared or otherwise treated.

What is leachate?

Leachate is liquid formed when water passes through waste. The permit requires the operator to collect, manage, treat and monitor leachate to protect groundwater and surface water.

How does the Environment Agency regulate the site?

The Environment Agency regulates the site using environmental permits, inspections, monitoring, compliance assessments and, where necessary, enforcement action.

How can I report odour or other environmental concerns?

Environmental incidents, including significant odour, noise, dust or pollution concerns, can be reported to the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Can I view permit information for the site?

Yes. Environmental permit information is available through the Environment Agency public register.

Why is environmental monitoring carried out?

Monitoring helps assess whether the site is operating in accordance with permit conditions and helps protect air, land, groundwater and surface water.

Why was the permit varied in 2025?

The permit was varied to allow the extension of Cell 4B (Phase 4), update monitoring requirements and introduce additional landfill gas management requirements.

The most recent permit variation was issued in September 2025. The variation approved an extension to Cell 4B (Phase 4) within the landfill boundary.

As part of the variation, the permit:

• Updated the landfill boundary and site plans
• Added new monitoring requirements
• Introduced additional landfill gas improvement measures
• Added requirements for updated gas management planning
• Added pre-operational requirements that must be completed before waste can be deposited in the new area of the landfill

The permit also requires the operator to submit a remedial gas management plan and an updated landfill gas management plan for Environment Agency approval.