Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on public health of Walley's Quarry landfill site in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for permitting and regulating the Walley’s Quarry landfill site. When determining an application for a landfill permit, public health authorities are consulted and their comments considered within any issued permit conditions.

To assist public health assessment, the EA carried out an ambient air monitoring study between 6 July 2017 and 14 February 2018. The full report has been shared with Public Health England (PHE) locally for their assessment, as they would be responsible for determining any wider impacts on human health. PHE has assessed the environmental data provided by the EA (6 July 2017 - 14 February 2018) and notes that these levels are low and that it would not expect there to be any long term health consequences.

The EA installed further mobile monitoring on 18 January 2019 near the northern boundary of Walley’s landfill site. The EA continues to work with local public health partners and this further information will be shared with them to enable them to decide upon any action in relation to human health. PHE is able to provide advice to GPs if residents consult them with any health concerns.

From analysis of syndrome surveillance data, PHE has no evidence at this stage of an increase in GP consultations or calls to NHS 111 by the neighbouring population for symptoms of breathing difficulties or eye problems.

PHE continues to support the EA and local stakeholders with community engagement and will review any other potential health effects in light of further monitoring information supplied.