A wheel wash machine used to ensure vehicles leaving the March landfill site keep roads free of dirt, is to be removed because operators no longer have room for it.

FFC Environment run the Hundred Road site and claims the “phasing of landfill operations leave no available space” for the machine. However they have told Cambridgeshire County Council and Fenland District Council not to worry about dirt getting onto nearby roads.

The company, in a submission to the county council to amend their current planning permission, say they will implement measures “to ensure mud, dirt and dust do not cause a nuisance and maintain highway safety.”

The wheel wash has until now been used before vehicles leave the site.

FCC are proposing to compensate for the lack of a wheel wash through regular road sweepers, and a complaints procedure, amongst other preventative measures to keep the highway tidy.

They also say the site manager will be responsible for all problems, which will be cleaned by road-sweepers “on the same day as they are indentified or as soon as possible thereafter”.

Their report to the council says: “The Meteorological Office weather forecast will be used to predict weather conditions and ensure necessary precautionary measures are taken.”

FFC also say workers will be expected to “visually monitor” and report any problems, whilst there will be daily inspections of the public highway access point.

The problem of dust pollution remains prevalent, and the document says that if a particular waste type causes this that must be addressed. “We shall cease accepting the relevant waste until a suitable solution has been prepared and implemented,” says the company. “Areas will be sprayed if general compaction and covering operations cause dust.”

A decision is expected shortly.