WORRIED residents complaining about dust and noise pollution on a Lye industrial estate are being reassured that environmental chiefs are monitoring the situation.

A group of residents in Peters Hill Estate in Amblecote have reported their concerns over waste management company RegenR8 and grab hire firm Pegasus to the Environment Agency.

However, both companies insist they are responsible environmentalists and that they not endangering local residents.

The residents’ group recently contacted the News with their concerns, stating: “For the past two years we have had issues with Pegasus in Bott Lane, Lye and RegenR8 in Timmis Road, Stambermill.

“Although on a map we seem far away we are actually only about 500 metres away as the crow flies – with only a field separating us.

“Our issues have been early morning (6am) and late evenings (10:30pm) and occasionally early hours (4am) of noisy equipment, crushers, grabbers, skips and lorries.

“There is also a lot of dust which we have recently found out should not be airborne, which is really concerning us. There is a primary school with over 800 children nearby.”

Both companies, however, insist they are doing nothing wrong.

A Pegasus statement said: “Pegasus works hard to help the environment by recycling 40,000t of material a year.

“We employ over 80 staff and have created a huge amount of local employment, we are using the best available techniques in challenging weather conditions, to keep (dust) levels low.

“We will continue to keep these efforts up, and work with the local community.”

A RegenR8 spokesperson added: “Regenr8 is a responsible environmentalist.

“Following an exceptional winter we are now facing an exceptional hot and dry summer. We have to be careful with our natural resources and control the amount of water we use to damp down stockpiles during this difficult period.

“Our vehicles and machinery are fitted with the latest acoustic sound suppression. We will continue to monitor to ensure that we balance fairly concerns of neighbours whilst protecting the environment.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are aware of issues being reported regarding these sites.

“Both have Environmental Permits issued by the Environment Agency. We are currently investigating these complaints and have monitoring rotas in place to determine what our next level of response will be.

“We are taking these complaints seriously and would expect operators to comply with permit conditions.

“If they are found not to be complying with the permit conditions then the Environment Agency will take enforcement action as necessary.”

Dudley Council are also looking into the issue - Councillor Ruth Buttery, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "We are working with the Environment Agency to ensure that these issues are looked at and appropriately controlled in the interest of local people."