A row has broken out over a landfill site near Llanidloes after Natural Resources Wales suspended the operations permit of the facility for environmental reasons.

Officers from NRW suspended operations at Bryn Posteg landfill near Llanidloes, Powys, on Friday, January 19 due to the risk of pollution, after they say evidence showed that the site now holds substantially more waste than is legally allowed.

However site operators Potters Waste Management say they have complied with with all notices and deadlines at the site and will continue to operate from Bryn Posteg by transporting waste to other facilities.

A statement from Natural Resources Wales said that in addition to there being too much waste at the site, piles of material were also higher than permitted.

The statement reads: "The operators, Potters Waste Management, one of Wales’ largest waste operators, are not allowed to tip any more waste in the landfill. Every landfill site needs an environmental permit from NRW to operate. This details how the operator will manage the site to minimise the impact on air, land and water in the area. NRW has now instructed the company to examine the potential risk that this waste poses."

James Potter, speaking for Sundorne Products(Llanidloes) Ltd, part of the Potter Group, said the company had invested around £2m to address the regulator's concerns, and that they were in compliance with all notices.

"All notices and deadlines issued to the site by Natural Resources Wales have been complied with. The company continues to spend significant sums of money, in the region of £2 million, to address such issues and we always strive to continually improve our operations," he said.

"The company always works with the regulator to ensure that the site is compliant with its permit conditions and this will continue. The site continues to be open to our customers for waste reception within the MRF, waste received will then be transported off site for disposal at one of our alternative disposal points."

David Powell, Operations Manager for Natural Resources Wales, said: "The decision to stop waste being disposed of in the landfill is a last resort, but there is a risk to the surrounding environment as a result of over-tipping.

"We have given the company every opportunity to comply with the conditions in their permit but they have not done this."

Under the terms of their environmental permit Potters Waste Management can tip up to 75,000 tonnes of waste at Bryn Posteg every year. Natural Resources Wales say operations will remain suspended while investigations are continuing.