EUROPEAN VISIT FOR PATH HEAD PETITIONERS (Fiona Hall MEP)

Fiona Hall MEP <info@fionahall.org.uk>

EUROPEAN VISIT FOR PATH HEAD PETITIONERS

January 29, 2009 12:00 AM

Daniel Grey (Residents against Rubbish), Marcin Libicki MEP, Fiona

The Chairman of the European Parliament's Petition Committee has visited the controversial Path Head landfill site in Gateshead at the invitation of Lib Dem North East MEP Fiona Hall.

In 2005, the Residents Against Rubbish campaign successfully submitted a petition to the European Parliament. Polish MEP Marcin Libicki met with residents, Gateshead Councillors and officials, representatives of the Environment Agency and staff of the site operators, SITA.

Commenting after the visit, Fiona Hall said:

"Mr Libicki was particularly struck by how close the Path Head Landfill site is to local homes and to other landfill sites in the area. He noted that, in France, Marseille's residents are protesting about a landfill several kilometres away - yet at Path Head some residents share a boundary fence with the landfill site.

"Residents explained how they have to put up with high levels of stress because of nuisance from litter, flies, gulls and odours, with a lot of buck-passing about who is responsible.

"The issue of groundwater was also discussed in detail, with an admission from officials that there has been a protracted water problem at the site."

Following Mr Libicki's visit the Petitions' Committee will prepare a report. Said Fiona:

"Every year the Petitions' Committee receives around 2000 petitions but the Chairman is only able to make three or four visits. This underlines how important the Path Head petition is seen to be."