A WATCHDOG says it needs to hear what people have to say about plans for a chemical recycling plant.

The Environment Agency says it wants views on an application to store and treat hazardous and non-hazardous waste at the Seaton Meadows landfill site in Hartlepool.

ALAB Environmental Services Limited, a division of Able UK, has applied to the Environment Agency for a pollution prevention and control permit.

If granted, the permit will allow the company to store and treat mixtures of oil and water, sludges from effluent treatment and filter cakes.

Central to the plan is a consolidation plant where some wastes will be mixed with cement to fix contaminants and make the material more suitable for disposal at a landfill site.

Initial consultation on the application starts today and will last until October 28.

Bob Pailor, area environment manager for the Environment Agency, said: "Our priority with any application is to ensure that what it is proposing will not cause harm to the environment or human health.

"We must consider this application on the basis of the information it gives and scientific fact.

"We will take all representations into account during this initial consultation period and will ensure that any draft permit and its conditions are available for people to view on our public registers should we get to that stage."

Under new rules, if the Environment Agency proposes to issue a permit, there will also be a consultation on the draft permit and any proposed permit conditions.

The application is available for inspection at the Hartlepool Borough Council Public Protection Department office in the Hartlepool Civic Centre.

Representations on the application can be made in writing to the Environment Agency's office at Environment Agency, SPG Team, PO Box 12, Richard Fairclough House, Knutsford Road, Warrington, WA14 1HG.