Garlaff landfill Site, Skares - Barr Ltd - East Ayrshire Council

At present, the existing Garlaff site is the only operational licenced
landfill site in East Ayrshire. The planning consent for the
Craignaught site near Dunlop expired on 07 June 2001, although an
application to extend the timescale of the landfill operations at this
site has been submitted for consideration. Planning consent has
been granted for the Darnconner landfill site near Auchinleck,
however there is currently no waste management licence in place.
With capacity at the existing Garlaff site expected to be fully taken
up by 2002/2003, it is considered that there could be a significant
shortfall of landfill space.
The Environmental Statement indicates that the input and general level of the
current site activities is similar to the scale for the proposed extension. The
presumption is that the proposed site extension will not generate any significant
intensification of activities but will considerably extend them along a timescale of
up to 20 years.
Noted.
Use of the waste disposal site will be an activity that will be regulated and
monitored by SEPA on an ongoing basis. Many of the general environmental
concerns of this project will in fact fall within the ambit of SEPA for ensuring that
satisfactory and specific control measures are formulated, put in place and
subsequently implemented. These will include leachate treatment and controls,
litter controls, dust, hours of operation, site practices etc.
It is acknowledged that through the Waste Management
Licence and Pollution Prevention and Control permit, SEPA will
exercise controls over the development. However, it is considered
that should consent be granted for the proposed development,
appropriate planning controls may also require to be imposed on
the development through the imposition of conditions and use of
legal agreements.
The Division also states that landfills are a known source of odours due to the
natural biodegradation of mixed wastes under a variety of weather conditions.
The adoption of good site control techniques will assist considerably in the
control of odours arising, although this should ideally be coupled with an active
gas extraction system (as is proposed in this case) to ensure maximum benefit.
Indeed the scale of the activity envisaged on the site that the applicant proposes
to utilise the gas produced for the production of electricity. This will provide the
twin benefits of removing a potential problem from the site allied to the
production of a useful resource. Any landfill gas control measures should include
routine gas monitoring in and around the site which it is believed will be subject
to SEPA control.
At present, landfill gas is collected and burned off using a gas flare
stack. This is a fairly recent introduction to the existing site as a