Investigations into complaints about a strong smell of “foul eggs” coming from Dunbar’s landfill site found “no odours” were detected according to the site operator.

Concerns have been raised by residents in Innerwick and Dunbar about a strong smell of methane and “foul eggs” after the site reopened last week following a two months of closure.

Following a large-scale fire at the site which burned for five days in August – and saw much of Dunbar and the surrounding areas covered with smoke – an investigation into the fire found that an exploding lithium battery was the likely cause.

READ MORE: Dunbar: Exploding lithium battery the likely cause of landfill fire

The site was closed in December last year to allow for the installation of an enhanced sortation recycling facility. The site reopened last Monday (January 12).

Jacquie Bell, resident in the area and member of Dunbar Community Council, said a number of complaints had been lodged by locals since it reopened about bad smells from the site.

She said: “I know a lot of people complained about a bad smell. I drove near it last Wednesday and the smell was strong. It was an absolute stench.

“Some people have mentioned a strong smell of methane and a smell of foul eggs which could be Hydrogen Sulphide.

“It’s horrible for the people living in the area, people in Innerwick and Dunbar who already suffered because of the fire.

“I have written to Valencia and I have encouraged others to do so too.

After receiving complaints from local residents about the smell, site operator Valencia Waste Management said it carried out an investigation into the concerns and found that “no odours were detected” and that there were “no operational issues”, but that monitoring of the site would continue.

A spokesperson for Valencia said: “We have undertaken an investigation into complaints of an odour around our Dunbar site in recent days. Following a site walkover no odours were detected on the landfill boundary.

“There is currently no engineering taking place and no operational issues. We will continue to monitor the site and encourage residents to contact us should they have a query.”

Mrs Bell said she was unsurprised by the response, and that communication with the operators had been poor.

She said: “I know there has been a bad smell, I experienced it myself.

“Since Valencia took over the site from Viridor in 2022 communication has not been good.

“They launched the liaison meetings last year, but the last one last month SEPA were invited but didn’t feel it was necessary to come, and the representatives from Valencia are not local.

“We don’t see people from the site. You raise concerns and are told they will pass them on. They can’t answer many questions because none of them work at the Dunbar site.”