Doncaster landfill site staff 'scared to work alone' after spate of thefts and vandalism

The owners of the site have now called on the police and the local community to come together to help tackle the real issues, which they say could also lead to environmental concerns.

In the most recent instance, the site suffered extensive criminal damage last night (June 29) as vandals broke in and set fire to the ditches around the facility.

Landfill site owner FCC Environment has logged some 14 incidents of breaking and entering, trespass, theft vandalism and criminal damage in the last year alone with the theft and destruction of equipment vital to the upkeep of the facility often the target.

FCC Environment’s operations director Chris Ellis said: “This is simply unacceptable. We have done everything we can to secure the site including limiting what is kept there overnight, we have fenced the site where we can and we have invested in monitored CCTV cameras to catch the criminals but the wanton criminality and vandalism continues.

“Shockingly, on one occasion, 4 armed men in a 4x4 arrived on site. FCC Environment staff are now too fearful to work on the facility unless they are accompanied, no one should have to work under this level of fear.”

And the damage to equipment poses a threat to the local environment and air quality, Mr Ellis added, explaining that in destroying property at the site the vandals are ensuring that essential maintenance cannot go ahead.

He said: “We closely manage the leachate and the gases, for example, that a landfill site produces but these criminals are damaging the infrastructure we have on site and this could lead to issues locally in terms of pollution and air quality which we are desperate to avoid.”

The landfill site, which closed in December 2012, sits alongside the Hatfield Household Waste Recycling Centre on Bootham Lane, also operated by FCC Environment on behalf of Doncaster Council.