TWO-WEEKLY bin collections have been blamed for the stench from a landfill site that has become so bad one nearby resident won t allow his children to play outside. Kevin McNamara, of Jubilee Crescent, Arlesey, has lived in the shadow of the landfill site

TWO-WEEKLY bin collections have been blamed for the stench from a landfill site that has become so bad one nearby resident won't allow his children to play outside.

Kevin McNamara, of Jubilee Crescent, Arlesey, has lived in the shadow of the landfill site for three years but claims the smell has now become unbearable.

He said: "It makes me feel sick, the smell is that bad. The kids can't go outside now. It's terrible. The whole summer has been ruined.

"It's never been this bad but there are two-weekly bin collections in some areas now so the waste is rotting down and festering in bins before it arrives so the smell is 10 times worse than normal.

"The councils using this two-weekly system need to do something, especially in the summer. Flies are coming in with the waste and it just doesn't seem to be getting any better.

"It's also right next to the houses where they are dumping the stuff.

"If it still carries on I will keep complaining."

The site is owned by Waste Recycling Group Limited and a spokesman for the company said: "The landfill site at Arlesey is fully permitted by the Environment Agency and is strictly regulated by them over issues such as potential odour from the site.

"The company is aware of some concerns about odour in recent months and which have been expressed at a recent meeting of the site's community liaison committee.

"However, overall complaints have been at a low level and no concerns have been raised with the company by the Environment Agency.

"WRG takes its responsibility to its neighbours very seriously and a number of steps have been taken recently to address potential odour sources.

"These have included stopping certain particularly odorous waste deliveries and ensuring the progressive covering of waste each working day.

"Site managers have also met with local residents to discuss their concerns and the company is committed to ensuring that the site complies with the highest operating and environmental standards at all times."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "Over the last few weeks we have had a number of complaints.

"Where the operator finds quite odorous material he is having it transferred to alternative sites so we are happy that the site is taking adequate control of the situation.