Officers continue to take action at ‘smoking’ waste site
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) officers are continuing to work with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to tackle a blaze at a Newport wood recycling site.
The site at Newport Docks has an estimated 20,000 tonnes of woodchip waste onsite awaiting removal.
Ashley Lansdown, Industry and Waste Team Leader from Natural Resources Wales, said:
"Yesterday (Saturday, 5 December) the fire at the South Wales recycling facility at Newport docks escalated and as a result the Fire and Rescue Service are employing extra resources to tackle the blaze.
"Despite reports of larger quantities, NRW believe an estimated 20,000 tonnes of woodchip waste is onsite awaiting removal.
“The site owners are working with the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to fully extinguish the fire. Intermittently this will create more smoke, but the actions are designed to fully control and extinguish the fire.
“The site owners have been working with NRW, the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Public Health Wales to ensure the impact to both the environment and nearby communities is minimised."
NRW officers will continue to monitor the situation and consider what measures can be taken to reduce the impact of this happening again.
Public Health Wales is also monitoring the situation.
Sarah Jones, Consultant in Environmental Health Protection, said:
“If you live in a place affected by the smoke, stay indoors and keep doors and windows closed. If you need to be outdoors, try to avoid areas affected by smoke or ash.
“Smoke can irritate air passages, the skin and the eyes leading to coughing and wheezing, breathlessness and chest pain. It can also worsen existing problems such as asthma and people with asthma should carry their inhaler with them at all times.
“Anyone concerned about their symptoms should contact their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or visitwww.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk. These symptoms usually disappear very soon and should not lead to any long term health problems.
“At home, close doors and windows when affected by the smoke, but make sure you open them again to air your home when the smoke passes.
“The smells are usually at levels below which there may be harm to health, but can still cause annoyance, stress and anxiety. Some people may experience symptoms such as nausea, headaches or dizziness as a reaction to odour, even when the substances that cause those smells are themselves not harmful to health.”
