Historical landfill

[UniqueShaker]

I have seen a property that is in a high radon area. I have researched the radon and feel a lot more comfortable.

However the property is 25-50m from a historical landfill. My question is do historical landfills smell?

I know the landfill was used for radioactive waste. Also, can landfills be reopened again? I believe it closed a while back. But my worry is if it reopened we'd have all the noise and dust.

Should I be assured that everything is fine now it's no longer in use? Or do historical landfills still cause problems like contamination, smells etc

Thanks

Closed landfill sites can be reopened if the waste operator has not surrendered their licence.

I know of one landraise site in Scotland that closed, houses were built around 100m away. Then the site reopened. The operator hadn't surrendered the licence so was able to reopen and start accepting waste again. It was very unpleasant.

I would find out if the site has closed and been fully remediated - so all waste cells closed and capped off and all required landscaping completed.

Landfill sites do build up methane, even more modern ones. They will have a means of the gas being managed to prevent build up but it is something to be aware of.

I would also try and find out if the house has been built on historic landfill - it is very close and not beyond the realms of possibility for it to be built on part of the landfill that closed 40 years previously.

Your local authority should have some of this info - either environmental health or in the contaminated land register. The Environment Agency could advise in terms of licensing or operation of the landfill.

So this actual house is 25m from the landfill? Usually they pile up the soil into a huge mound and that gradually subsides as the land fill settles. They vent the landfill as well to release methane. The landfills are generally well managed. If the house was 25m from the landfill i probably wouldn’t, but if it’s the end of the garden so at least 50 from the edge, I’d seriously consider it.

The license status is 'operational' I guess that means they could operate there again?

It wasn't built on it. It was built on green farm land. But built very close. Literally next to the landfill.

Radon is a problem. Don’t touch it with a barge pole.

Unbelievably tragic case and I feel so much for this poor boy’s parents battling on for years with unforgivable victim blaming from officialdom.
I would add learned from this terrible case for anyone else, that although current flooding areas now are known, I would be concerned that with climate change, understanding of which areas may become flood prone in future may change.

Once a landfill is properly closed, it usually doesn’t smell or create noise, but contamination can linger depending on what was buried. If you’re concerned, getting an environmental assessment or checking local records can help confirm the site is safe.

If the landfill is closed and properly capped, you probably don’t need to worry about smells or daily issues. You could check local environmental records or do a quick soil/groundwater test for peace of mind.

A historical landfill that’s been properly closed generally doesn’t cause smells or issues. The main concern would be any leftover contamination, but most sites are monitored. Reopening is uncommon, so it’s usually safe once it’s been capped and sealed.

Since the landfill is closed, it usually shouldn’t smell or cause issues, but it’s worth checking the local council’s environmental reports just to be sure everything is properly capped and monitored.

It would be helpful to have more guidance on the long-term impacts of historical landfills, especially near homes. Information on potential smells, contamination, or the possibility of reopening would help buyers feel more confident when evaluating a property.