Residents in parts of Heywood are once again reporting foul odours drifting from the Pilsworth landfill site, just months after the site was officially approved to expand operations.
Driving from Birch Services towards Ramsbottom last night, we hit that familiar stretch past Pilsworth and Heywood, and it absolutely stank. The other half, blissfully unaware of the ongoing saga locals have endured for the past 18 months, turned and asked, “Have you farted?” No. That’s just Heywood.
The intensifying stench, likened by some to rotting waste and sewage, has triggered fresh frustration among locals who feel the issue has never truly gone away. The expansion was reported by Roch Valley Radio on 11 June 2025, confirming that operators at the site had received permission to increase waste intake and extend operating hours, despite strong objections from residents and councillors.
New complaints have now emerged on social media, with local councillor Angela Brown warning residents via Facebook last week that “the smell had started again”. She reported detecting it herself outside Morrisons in Heywood and urged the public to report every incident through official channels.
“Looks like The Smell had started again! Wuffed it last night outside Morrisons. Different to the previous eggy smell,” Cllr Brown wrote on 3 February. “Don’t forget – report every time.” She included details for the government smell complaint line: 0800 80 70 60 and www.gov.uk/report-smell.
Other residents replied with similar observations. One user described the stench near Newhouse Road as “dog and human poo” while another recalled a similar smell near Darnhill. A comment on the post claimed the odour was “horrendous” outside Starbucks, and several reported spotting waste trucks in and out of the site last week.
“There was a queue of trucks… I thought they weren’t allowed to dump anymore?” wrote one. Another added: “It was awful at Asda yesterday afternoon.”
Despite previous interventions by the Environment Agency and councillors, residents say the problem has returned, only now with a different character. Councillor Brown agreed, stating the current smell was distinct from the sulphurous “eggy” odour that caused uproar in past years.
The landfill’s expansion has reignited concerns about odour control, environmental impact, and the level of transparency surrounding ongoing operations. Residents continue to demand stricter monitoring and enforcement.
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