The Lancaster MP has asked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for urgent help as residents continue to be affected by a massive industrial estate fire.
Cat Smith spoke at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday about the ongoing incident at the former A1 Supa Skips site on the Lune Industrial Estate.
Ms Smith has called for urgent government funding to tackle the environmental impact of the fire at the former skip hire site.
This comes as air pollution checks are being carried out "to provide clarity on the safety of the area" after the massive fire involving 13,000 tonnes of commercial waste.
They are taking place as residents and businesses near the Port Royal Avenue site continue to smell foul fumes near their properties 10 days after the fire started.
Health advice has been issued for people who may be experiencing effects from the ongoing smoke plume caused by the fire.
Firefighters remain on-site tackling the deep-seated blaze which broke out on December 3.
Ms Smith told Mr Sunak in the Commons today: "A company has walked away from 13,000 tonnes of hazardous waste in Lancaster. It has now been on fire for 10 days with plumes of smoke covering our city.
"Lancaster City Council has been left to pick up the tab – to date spending £262,000. Without government intervention this fire will burn for several months. Will the Prime Minister support my local council with swift government support?"
In response, the Prime Minister (pictured below) said: "My understanding is that Lancaster City Council, the Environment Agency, and the UK Health Security Agency and emergency services are working together to ensure that the health risks and environmental consequences are minimised, but I will ensure that the relevant Minister understands the absolute urgency of the issue that she's raised and I'll make sure that she meets with them as soon as possible."
Ms Smith said afterwards: "Fundamentally it's unfair for local residents to pick up the tab. This now clearly meets the threshold for emergency funding.
"It's frustrating to have had a meeting on this in September cancelled due to the resignation of a Minister on the day of our meeting, otherwise this could have been sorted months ago before the fire. Now it's an environmental disaster.
"I will keep pushing for meetings with government ministers to ensure that we get the financial assistance that we need to clear the site, protect the local environment, and safeguard residents and businesses."
In November 2022 the Environment Agency removed the permit to process waste at the A1 Supa Skips site. The company went into administration earlier that year.
Since then, the site has been closed whilst the council and Environment Agency undertake a legal battle to deal with an ecological fallout which has been worsened by the fire, said Ms Smith.
A major incident was declared earlier this year following other fires at the site, and a multi-agency task force the Lancashire Resilience Forum, including the Environment Agency, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster City Council, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Lancashire Police, was set up.
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