Councillors Raise Strong Objections Over Proposed Hazardous Waste Incinerator In Hartlepool..

Hartlepool Civic Centre.

Hartlepool Waste Facility Plan Sparks Concerns Over Homes, School And Pollution..

13th May 2026

Councillors in Hartlepool have raised serious concerns over a proposed £65 million hazardous waste energy recovery facility planned for land on the outskirts of Hartlepool after claiming local representatives were not properly consulted before residents were notified of the scheme.

The Teesside & Durham Post Exclusively broke the story Yesterday over plans for the new £65m pound facility.

The proposal, brought forward by Qualitech Environmental Services Ltd, would see a new hazardous and chemical waste treatment facility developed on land already owned by the company and currently used for storage.

According to the project information Exclusively reported by The Teesside & Durham Post, the company says the facility would form part of a wider UK expansion and investment strategy, modernising hazardous waste treatment and replacing ageing facilities elsewhere. The proposed plant would treat specialist hazardous waste from sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceutical facilities, engineering, maintenance and industrial cleaning, rather than general household black bag waste.

The company has said waste would be delivered in sealed containers before being treated in a high-temperature incinerator, with heat from the process used to generate electricity, steam and potentially heat for nearby industrial users. The scheme is said to require both planning permission from Hartlepool Borough Council and an Environmental Permit from the Environment Agency before it could operate.

Both Seaton Independent Ward Councillors & the towns newest Reform Councillor for the town ward are reportedly working together on the issue.

However, Councillors Representing Hartlepool's Seaton Ward have now made it clear that they do not currently support the proposal, citing concerns over the site’s location, the consultation process, and the existing environmental burden already placed on nearby communities.

In an update issued by Independent Councillor Sue Little, she said she, Councillor Leisa Smith and Reform Councillor Peter Storey held a Teams meeting this morning regarding the proposed incinerator.

Following that meeting, the councillors said they'd raised a number of objections, including what they described as a lack of proper engagement with elected members and members of the public, with claims many people only first became aware of the proposal only after receiving a leaflet or reading about the proposals via the Teesside & Durham Post, rather than through early consultation with ward councillors or affected communities.

Councillors are also understood to have criticised the location of the planned consultation event, arguing that holding a public meeting miles away from the most affected area could limit attendance and reduce the ability of residents to properly engage with the proposals.

A further concern relates to the proposed location of the facility itself. Councillors have pointed to the site’s proximity to residential areas, a SEND school, and new housing developments, arguing that the area is already subject to a significant environmental burden from existing landfill, waste facilities, odour issues and heavy traffic.

There's also concerns over public trust in the consultation process, with councillors highlighting frustrations over communication, the handling of public feedback, and what residents are being asked to provide when attempting to engage with the consultation process, with Councillors also questioning what clear local benefit the scheme would bring to Hartlepool, particularly given wider waste arrangements already involving local councils across the Tees Valley.

Following the meeting, its claimed a number of next steps were said to have been agreed, these include cancelling the upcoming consultation event, arranging a full briefing or presentation to Hartlepool Borough Council first, improving communication and transparency, and holding multiple local consultation events in the areas most likely to be affected.

Councillors also want key stakeholders, including regulators, to be properly involved in the process.

At this stage, no planning application has yet been determined by Hartlepool Borough Council, and the proposal would still need to pass through both the planning process and environmental permitting process before any facility could be built or operated.

However, the early political reaction suggests the scheme could face significant local opposition, particularly from both Independent & Reform councillors representing communities closest to the proposed site.