East Anglian sites we receive the most enquiries about

Bletchley landfill is a regulated facility that is managed and operated by FCC Waste Services (UK) Limited under Permit EPR/BM4635IH. The site is a former clay extraction quarry associated with brick making. The current permit allows the operation of:

• landfilling 
• leachate treatment facility that discharges to sewer
• use of spark ignition engines to generate electricity from the landfill gas extracted from the site. 

Our officers undertake a range of activities to check that FCC Waste Services (UK) Limited are complying with their permit conditions. This includes periodic audits, regular inspections, assessment of monitoring data, and investigating amenity complaints such as odour. If a breach of permit conditions is identified, we will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action; this action can range from advice and guidance through to prosecution for serious offences.

You can read about the latest news for Bletchley landfill site in the News section at the foot of the main page.

Bellhouse Landfill Site is run by the operator Enovert South Limited, under permit reference EPR/NP3736DS and located off Warren Lane, Colchester, CO3 0NN. Enovert South Limited holds a waste management environmental permit for waste activities (disposal by landfill) and is also a generator for renewable energy. 

The Environment Agency regulates the site to monitor compliance with the conditions in the permit.

One of our focusses is to make sure that the site operator, Enovert South Limited, takes the right actions to minimise odour. We know that some types of odours are very distressing for people and that it can have a negative effect on all aspects of wellbeing.

The environmental permits issued by us include conditions that require the operator of the site to ensure they protect the environment and human health. In the case of odour, the operator of the permitted site is required take steps to “prevent or where that is not possible, to minimise odour to a level that is not likely to cause pollution, as perceived by an Environment Agency officer.”

Sites that have the potential to cause odour are required to use appropriate infrastructure, management techniques and abatement equipment to tackle the potential odour pollution. As the regulator, it is our role to robustly challenge the operators of these sites to ensure their systems are fit for purpose and operate effectively. Where sites are not doing this and we are made aware of odour reports, we will provide advice and guidance, use our enforcement powers or in serious cases, prosecute the operator of the site.

We are:

• Increasing our compliance inspection frequency of the site and have additional officers working on the site. You may see some of our officers active in your area conducting odour assessments. We carry out these checks to substantiate the source and intensity of the odour in the area.
• Investigating the source of the odours. Where we find unacceptable levels of odour coming from the site, we will use the appropriate regulatory powers to ensure that the operators fix the problem as soon as possible. Subsequently we have requested an ‘Action Plan’ for Enovert South Limited to comply with.

You can read about the latest news for Bellhouse landfill site in the News section at the foot of the main page.

Cherry Tree Farm, Stow Bedon, Attleborough, Norfolk, NR17 1BY has a permit (Permit Number – UP3936RL) from the Environment Agency (EA) under the Environment Permitting Regulations (EPR) 2016 for the rearing of production pigs.

Cherry Tree farm has been a pig farm for at least 30 years. It was originally an under threshold/unpermitted sow unit. The original permit was issued January 2017 for 6990 pigs to be housed in a mixture of the old existing buildings and new buildings. This was then varied in 2018 to its current permit. The ten old buildings were replaced with seven new, ‘’Best Available Techniques’’ (BAT) compliant buildings. The ventilation was changed from naturally ventilated to mechanically ventilated, using high velocity roof fans designed to achieve an efflux velocity of 10m/sec. The site was fully stocked and operational early June 2021.  

The Environment Agency are responsible for setting the permit conditions for the site and making sure that permit holders comply with them. We conduct unannounced periodic audits and inspections to check that the operators are complying with their permit conditions. We investigate complaints of amenity (e.g. odour and noise) and make sure the operator is taking appropriate measures to prevent or minimise any impacts offsite. 

If a breach of permit conditions is identified, we will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action; this action can range from advice and guidance through to prosecution for serious offences.

Compliance Inspections: 

We have been assessing the odour from the site over the last few years and officers have carried out eight full compliance inspections and over 40 odour assessments in the area. Assessments have been carried out by at least eight different officers, so a range of sensitivities to smell have been represented.  

Whilst we sometimes detect malodours from the site on its boundary with the public footpath, we have only confirmed strong odours in the grounds of the nearest residential property on a few occasions. The operator has found to have breached their odour permit condition on four occasions for not following the appropriate measures in their Odour Management Plan.

Odour: 

We started receiving odour complaints about the site approximately one month after it started operating. When we have detected odour, it is usually attributed to the morning mucking out of the buildings or to the manure store. This required them to review their plan and implement additional measures to minimise odour from site.

What have we done?

• Regular assessments of odour to confirm the extent, severity, and source of the odours.
• Regular inspections of the Farm to assess the sources and underlying causes of the odour and to monitor actions being taken by the operator to address the issue.
• Issued an EPR Enforcement Notice on the operator for breaches of permit at the site in relation to odour and emission points to air requiring the operator to make infrastructural and operational improvements on the site to further minimise odours off-site.
• Regular liaison with the site operator. This includes assessing any improvements they are implementing.

The first EA compliance inspection of the site was in July 2021. Following the inspection, we requested further information regarding the operation and technical details of the ventilation system and house design as it differed from the information provided by the operator in their permit application and the basis on which the permit was issued.

We issued an enforcement notice last year due to breaches of permit at the site in relation to odour and emission points to air. As a result, the operator has now made infrastructural and operational improvements on the site to further minimise odours off-site.

We are in regular contact with the site operator regarding any complaints made by residents and continue to carry odour assessments in the area and inspect the site, and where possible, will seeking improvements to site activities that will help to further minimise odours off-site.

You can read about the latest news for Bellhouse landfill site in the News section at the foot of the main page

Located in Essex, Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility, is a municipal waste incinerator regulated by the Essex and Suffolk Installations Team under an environmental permit (Permit number CP3906LP/V003). Also known as Indaver, Rivenhall Limited Energy from Waste Plant the development and operation of the incinerator have proved controversial due to its location within a rural area.

Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility, Location and approximate site boundary.

There have been objections throughout the planning and environmental permitting process due to perceived potential impacts on local communities. Residents have raised concerns that, under Environment Agency regulation, the facility could lead to poorer air quality from process emissions, as well as increased noise and odour. There remains significant ongoing opposition from local communities, including local councillors and interest from the local MP, which has continued since the planning and permitting stages.

The Environment Agency has carried out extensive local engagement to explain our position in the regulation of the site. This included a significant number of responses to the public, local councillors, and the MP.

Since the site began commissioning, we have received multiple complaints through our National Incident Reporting Hotline 0800 807060 regarding odour and visible smoke plumes coming from the site. We have also received a lot of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, National Incident Reporting System (NIRS), and additional complaints from local councillors, and local stakeholders. 

In addition, we have received enquiries about emissions to air from the site from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Local MP.

We will continue to investigate the reports we receive and check the associated monitoring data from the plant which demonstrates that permitted emission limits within the commissioning plan have been complied with at the time of the reports.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual responses to every report we receive, but we will continue to provide updates on this page when we have new information to provide.

Commissioning - Regulation/Compliance update

Recent reports about the site during commissioning activities

We continue to receive reports about the facility from members of the public, using our pollution hotline.

We repeat our position regarding these events from previous updates for ease of reference. 

Odour

Burning Odour - We have received a few reports of a burning odour thought to be from the facility. We have not substantiated that the burning odours being experienced are from the incinerator to date. We will continue to investigate any reports we receive.

Visible Plume/steam emissions during commissioning

Visible Plume - The visibility of the plume is primarily a matter subject to the relevant conditions of the planning permission. 

If you are concerned regarding the visibility of the plume please contact the Environment Agency using the details below and Essex County Council as the planning authority via email to mineralsandwastedm@essex.gov.uk or by using the online form

Steam emissions - We expect emissions of steam from the site during commissioning activities as part of the steam process involves venting to atmosphere. It is understood as the plant is commissioned the frequency of venting will reduce.

Sources of steam from the site include:

Start-up ejector - This maintains a vacuum in the condensate system during start up of each line. It produces a considerable amount of steam but will only be visible during start up or if faults occur with the primary holding ejector. Indaver's preference will always be to run on the holding ejector which displays no visible steam. The company advises that the use of the start up injector is inefficient. 

Start Up Valve - small amounts of wispy steam from the roof visible during startup of each line.

Emergency boiler relief valve - Would vent considerable amount of steam if boiler over pressurised. This would only be in use if other safety systems fail in accordance with The Pressure Systems Safety regulations.

It is important to note that weather conditions/light may influence the visibility/perception of the plume with colder conditions and less light making the visual appearance of the plume darker.

Environment Agency position

We will continue to investigate the reports we receive and check the associated monitoring data from the plant which demonstrates that permitted emission limits within the commissioning plan have been complied with at the time of the reports.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual responses to every report we receive, but we will continue to provide updates on this page when we have new information to provide.

Operating hours/timing of waste deliveries.

These aspects are also primarily a matter subject to the relevant conditions of the planning permission. 

If you are concerned regarding timings of operations at the site/waste deliveries, please contact Essex County Council as the planning authority via email to mineralsandwastedm@essex.gov.uk or by using the online form

Visits

The following compliance visits have been recently undertaken at the site during commissioning 

Phase 6 ‘Functional Tests’ as defined within the agreed commissioning plan;

• 21 November 2025 - General site inspection/review including emissions monitoring, ash testing, actions from previous visits.
• 11 December 2025 (after local liaison meeting) - Control room, emissions monitoring systems.
• 19 December 2025 - Odour Management.

We will provide inspection reports for these visits to Indaver.

Our compliance visits will continue during the commissioning phases 7 Take Over Testing/ Phase 8 Performance testing. The commissioning phases and associated activities are defined within the agreed commissioning plan.

Our position remains that we expect the operator to comply with the requirements of the permit and associated commissioning plan at all times. 

All inspection reports, submissions made in accordance with the conditions of the permit and associated correspondence will be made available on our public registers.

Notification of emission breaches, August 2025 – Update

We have completed our assessment of the breaches of the particulates and ammonia emission limits between the 23 to 25 August 2025. Our assessment is documented within our report available on our public registers. The outcome of the review is that the elevated emissions would not have had a significant impact to ground level air quality.

Our investigation into the root cause of the emission breaches is also complete. We expect to communicate further information regarding our findings as soon as we can in the coming weeks.

These breaches relate to specific events which have now been resolved with further measures taken by the operator to minimise the risk of re-occurrence.

However, we expect the operator to comply with the requirements of the permit and associated commissioning plan at all times. Our investigation/compliance review will be completed in accordance with our procedures;

• How you'll be regulated: environmental permits - GOV.UK – (including compliance assessment and enforcement).
• Waste operations and installations: assessing and scoring environmental permit compliance - GOV.UK
• Environment Agency enforcement and sanctions policy - GOV.UK

All inspection reports, submissions made in accordance with the conditions of the permit and associated correspondence will be made available on our public registers.