Valencia Waste Management’s Dunbar Landfill Site has begun taking waste again after receiving an environmental permit from SEPA.

The site had been closed for waste collection since December last year to allow for the installation of an enhanced sortation recycling facility – which detects items such as lithium batteries or other waste that could be better recycled.

It comes after a fire at the site last August burned for five days and caused disruption in Dunbar and the surrounding villages, with smoke covering the area for several days.

An investigation into the fire found that an exploding lithium battery was the likely cause.

The site launched a community liaison group, which is open to the public and will meet regularly, to discuss operations at the site.

At the group’s previous meeting it was agreed that the site would reopen once the installation of the enhanced sortation recycling facility was complete, with an environmental permit also being sought from SEPA.

Now, both the permit and recycling facility are in place and the site has begun taking waste again since Monday morning (February 12).

A Valencia Waste Management spokesperson said: “At the meeting Valencia confirmed that the site would reopen to waste deliveries once an environmental permit was issued by SEPA. This has been completed, and Valencia will now start site reopening procedures with enhanced inspection of incoming waste over the coming days.”

The next community liaison meeting will take place on June 5 from 6.30-8pm at Dunbar Town House.