The Hills Group has issued an update and action plan to address a recent rise in odour complaints linked to its Lower Compton landfill site.
In a statement, the company acknowledged concerns raised by residents in the Calne area and apologised where the smell has been attributed to its operations.
Complaints about strong odours have increased in recent weeks, with residents across Calne and surrounding villages reporting persistent smells, particularly during certain weather conditions. Concerns have been shared widely on social media, with some residents saying the issue has affected their ability to open windows or spend time outdoors. The site has been the subject of ongoing scrutiny in recent years, with odour issues previously raised with regulators.
Hills confirmed the site is regulated by the Environment Agency and said it is continuing to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations, allowing access to its site and operational data.
The company said it is working to improve how it manages landfill gas and reduce so-called “fugitive emissions” in line with its environmental permit.
Hills said it has already begun a series of short-term measures to improve odour containment. The company stopped using trommel fines as landfill cover material on Friday 27th March following discussions with the Environment Agency.
Additional machinery has been brought in to replace this with soil across all active areas, with a minimum cover depth of 100mm. These works began on Thursday 26th March and are expected to take around four weeks to complete.
Air-atomisers are also being increased around the perimeter of the landfill cell. These systems release a fine mist designed to neutralise odour particles. The company added it will review drone data collected by the Environment Agency to identify any further targeted improvements.
Looking ahead, Hills plans to bring forward both temporary and permanent capping of landfill areas. Contractors are currently being selected, with work expected to begin in early May 2026, subject to weather conditions due to the volume of clay required.
Over the summer, the company aims to cap as much of the active landfill cell as possible. This will depend on how much waste is received during that period. Once areas are capped, permanent gas extraction systems will be installed and connected.
Hills said it will also review how future landfill cells are designed to allow more frequent permanent capping. The use of trommel fines at Lower Compton has been permanently discontinued.
Trommel fines are small waste particles, typically under 40mm in size, produced during the mechanical sorting of construction and mixed waste.
Additional gas extraction infrastructure, including wells, will continue to be installed in future cells to maintain effective control of landfill gas.
Residents experiencing odour issues can report them directly to the Environment Agency via its incident hotline or online reporting system, helping regulators track when and where smells are occurring. Complaints can also be logged with Hills to support ongoing monitoring and response.
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