Dismay over extra waste

The situation has been condemned by Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel and South Downs, who said: "It is totally unacceptable for West Sussex continually to be treated as a dumping ground for other regions' waste.

"Local residents should not have to endure both the smell and the disruption caused by the movement of lorries.

"We need a new approach that seeks to end our reliance on landfill and finds greener ways to deal with our waste. And we must continue to fight against rotting rubbish being dumped in our county."

Chris Warren, spokesman for the Small Dole Action Group, said: "Small Dole is being treated as the cesspit for the South-East of England. Many tonnes of additional waste from the London area and elsewhere have been delivered by road to the site as a result of incinerators in Allington and Portsmouth being out of action."

He said that residents had found the situation intolerable because of the increase in stench.

"Windows have to be shut at night when the air is still. If they are left open, the stench fills the inside of our homes. The air above the tip is full of gulls waiting to drop in for a quick snack. Residents of Small Dole are up in arms about this intolerable situation," he added.

Mr Warren said he had been assured that the additional waste being tipped did not originate from Kent or Hampshire, where county councils had made their own contingency plans, but was from areas further afield which normally used the incinerators there.

Both county councils have confirmed that their incinerators have been closed for annual maintenance.

The incinerator at Portsmouth has re-opened after being closed for 25 days and Allington incinerator is due to be re-opened sometime this week.

"We think it is unreasonable to expect the villagers of Small Dole to put up with this position. The village has had to tolerate the dumping of waste on its doorstep for the last 40 years and as things currently stand there is no sign of it stopping," added Mr Warren.

He said that at this time of year the Scout camp, which lies immediately east of the waste site, is used extensively.

"Children camping there are breathing the fugitive gases from the site together, with the combined exhaust fumes from the three engines producing energy from the waste gases," he said.

Viridor, which operates the Horton Landfill site, was unavailable for comment on the issue.