Swarms of flies blamed on rubbish stored at docks site

Locals in Goole say the huge and growing pile of wrapped bales has been sitting at the town’s West Dock for several weeks.

The bales, some of them ripped, are smelly and infested with flies, according to witnesses who say the amount of waste at the dock site probably runs into hundreds of tonnes.

Businesses in the town centre have reported an increase in flies blighting their premises, which are being blamed on the material left at the dock.

One resident said: “Plagues of houseflies are breeding on the foul-smelling, stinking mass. The flies have inundated shops, cafes and the town’s indoor market as well as residential accommodation.”

Councillors in the town have spent the past few days trying to get action taken to have the waste removed.

They have been told that a waste company, believed to be based in West Yorkshire, is awaiting an export/transfer licence to have the rubbish taken by ship for incineration on the Continent.

Those investigating the situation include the Environment Agency, East Riding Council and the Hull and Goole Port Health Authority.

East Riding Councillor Malcolm Boatman has been told the waste operator had not obtained an export licence and that Environment Agency officials were considering whether or not to grant one.

After making several calls to various public bodies, Coun Boatman became frustrated that not enough was being done to resolve the situation.

“Nobody was really taking responsibility for this. Personally, I think the health authorities ought to take more of a lead.

“If the flies are coming from there it could be classed as a statutory nuisance.”

Councillor Boatman has been told that the ship which could take the rubbish away is not due to dock until the end of the week but even then the issue of an export licence may not be resolved.

In the meantime the flies are continuing to cause misery for those living and working nearby, although it is not confirmed if the rubbish is the main cause.

Coun Boatman added: “We have got a lot of flies with the warm weather and people are assuming they are caused by the waste at the docks.”

One resident said some of the torn bales had been sealed with tape and a worker in a face mask had sprayed them with an unidentified liquid.

“The flies getting into people’s houses are just unbelievable. Trying to cook has been a nightmare.”

No one was available to comment from the Environment Agency.