The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has been labelled “next to useless” after it sent inspectors to investigate odour issues at a Belfast compost plant 60 times in four years, with “little” enforcement action.
Residents living near the Natural World Products facility at Glenside Road in west Belfast still complain of a stink in the area, an MLA has warned.
Locals have been highlighting the “stench” from the site, where household organic waste is recycled, for almost 10 years.
It has been claimed on a residents social media campaign group that odour has been detected as far away as Lisburn.
Hundreds of complaints have been received by Belfast City Council over the issue in recent years.
The company also has sites at Armagh, Craigavon, Antrim, and Down.
Last week, environment minister Andrew Muir confirmed at Stormont that “an enforcement notice has recently been issued for one of the sites”, after a question in the chamber by West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll.
The People Before Profit MLA also submitted a written question to the minister, asking how many times NIEA inspectors carried out odour testing at the Glenside Road site.
The minister confirmed 13 tests this year alone, eight last year, 15 in 2024, three in 2023, and 21 in 2022.
Residents in west Belfast have also expressed concern of the impact of any possible future expansion at the site.
Mr Carroll told The Irish News: “Inspectors don’t get sent out 60 times to a site that isn’t causing a problem. For years, residents have lived with the stench, with HGVs coming up and down Glenside Road and with the danger at the site entrance.
“They have logged complaints, gathered evidence and essentially done the NIEA’s work. Yet as far as residents can establish, there has been little to no enforcement action against NWP to show for any of it.”
He added: “A regulator that inspects again and again but never acts is next to useless. I will be asking the minister what came of these 60 inspections. I will also be pressing NIEA to use the powers it already has before it signs off on any expansion.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs said: “The NIEA regulates the site for compliance with the conditions of the operator’s waste management permit, including conditions relating to odour management.
“The site is currently assessed as compliant with the odour condition. Whilst the site is currently compliant, the NIEA continues to work with the site operator and other stakeholders to ensure continued improvement of odour management.”
Natural World Products was approached for comment.
