SOIL is being used to try to "smother" the ongoing fire at the landfill site near Dunbar.

East Lothian Council is working alongside a number of organisations, including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), to deal with the incident, which was reported on Monday afternoon.

The change of wind direction has pushed the resulting smoke plume towards the town, resulting in some public concerns about the smoke and health risks.

READ MORE: Dunbar: Residents urged to shut windows as landfill fire still burning

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: "SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) is the public agency tasked with the regulation of waste sites.

"SEPA officers have been on site since the fire was first reported and have carried out, and continue to, monitoring of the site operator’s implementation of mitigation measures.

"SEPA have confirmed that the site is authorised to dispose of non-hazardous waste.

"In addition Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been in attendance at the site a number of times and have advised that the fire is ‘under control and being managed by the site operator’.

READ MORE: Dunbar: Smoke in the air as landfill fire continues to burn

"Current actions by the site operator are to cap or cover the fire with quantities of soil which will smother and so stop oxygen continuing to fuel the fire.

"The resulting plumes of smoke are both visible and with an odour and advice remains to keep windows and doors closed and avoid being outside for long periods of time if the smoke is particularly bad.

"Schools within Dunbar and surrounding area have been advised to keep pupils in at breaks and lunchtimes."

Anyone with concerns for their health should look at NHS Inform – www.nhsinform.scot – for advice or contact NHS24 on 111.