In advance of Saturday’s Stop the Stink rally, Pembrokeshire residents told Labour’s Henry Tufnell how angry they are that the foul odour from a local landfill site persists after an enforcement deadline.

Welsh Labour’s general election candidate for Mid & South Pembrokeshire, Henry Tufnell, has called on Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to take “immediate and decisive action” after the May 14 enforcement notice deadline passed and yet has failed to stop the odour emanating from the Withyhedge landfill site.

Since September 2023, the local population has had to put up with a foul odour emanating from the site. The odour is understood to be hydrogen sulphide and is being emitted in large quantities from the site due to a mixing of biodegradable waste and calcium sulphide (plasterboard). Residents were reporting the stink over the weekend, as people were forced to stay inside despite the sunny weather as the odour continued to plague Pembrokeshire communities.

“The situation at the Withyhedge landfill has become increasingly desperate, largely because the local community has lost faith that NRW are willing and able to adopt the necessary measures to take control of the situation,” said the Labour candidate.

Mr Tufnell was out in Crundale on Thursday, May 16, two days after NRW’s 14 May enforcement deadline, where the foul odour was still present. He reported that residents were “incredibly angry” and told him that they had simply given up reporting the odour issues to NRW because it was not making any difference in resolving the problem. The NRW website indicated that as of last week they were assessing compliance on the landfill site.

A rally, organised by the Stop the Stink campaign group for Saturday, June 15 in Castle Square in Haverfordwest, will show the strength of local feeling.

A Stop the Stink demo, organised for Saturday, May 25, shows the strength of local feeling.
A Stop the Stink demo, organised for Saturday, June 15, shows the strength of local feeling. (Pic supplied)

Henry Tufnell said: “I have written directly to NRW, calling them to action. It is deeply concerning that the stink from the Withyhedge landfill site is still blighting the lives of so many Pembrokeshire residents after the recent enforcement deadline from NRW has passed.

“The time for half measures is over – NRW must take immediate and decisive action.”