A fire hit recycling centre in Fife should be closed, two leading politicians have said.

Willie Rennie spoke out after fire crews were called to the Lower Melville Wood Waste Facility in Ladybank on Wedesday.

The blaze was within a landfill site separate to the devastating fire in May which involved recycled material and waste spread across an area measuring approximately 200m by 300m. At the height of that incident, Scottish Fire And Rescue Service (SFRS) had 12 appliances, 60 firefighters, and specialist resources at the scene. Damage was put at over £1million. The site was returned to operators, Cireco, after 13 days. its

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is investigating “potential criminality” in its probe into the £1million blaze.

The scene of the blaze at Ladybank in May (Pic courtesy @DvdHmlt/PA Wire)

placeholder image — The scene of the blaze at Ladybank in May (Pic courtesy @DvdHmlt/PA Wire)

Mr Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, has reiterated his call for authorities to consider closure of the site.

He previously called for the site to be shut when operators were unable to eliminate the stench from the landfill.

Mr Rennie said: “If fires of this scale are going to occur this often the authorities must consider whether it is capable of managing such large volumes of waste.

"Waste from across Scotland is managed at this site so it means large volumes are processed before onward transportation.

"Local people were angered by the inability to control the last fire and this latest, admittedly smaller, fire will have made the situation worse.

"I called for an independent inquiry after the last fire and for a public meeting to share the findings with local people. Instead there are multiple inquiries including by the fire service and the environment agency SEPA. Neither have reported yet.

"We need a swifter conclusion of those inquiries and for all the authorities to consider the future of Lower Melville Wood. The appalling smell was bad enough but now the frequent fires must result in a proper analysis of the suitability of the site."

His call was backed by Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife.

She said: “This is the second fire in just two months. Combined with longstanding concerns since the last fire about the smell and environmental impact, it makes it increasingly difficult to justify the site continuing to operate as normal. The authorities should seriously consider closing the facility until they can provide clear, independent assurance that it is safe and that local residents are not being adversely affected.

“Air quality is a serious public health issue, and communities should not be left worrying about the impact of recurring fires, pollution, or not being sure whether it is safe to leave their homes.

“Local people deserve confidence that their health and wellbeing are being protected, and until that assurance can be given, the future of the site must be carefully reconsidered."