A LANDFILL site at Pilsworth is to stop handling dangerous rubbish despite being designated a hazardous waste dump by environment chiefs.

Viridor Waste Management, which operates a former quarry area off Pilsworth Road, says that consignments of potentially-harmful waste will no longer be accepted there by 2004.

Pilsworth is one of more than 200 sites across the UK to be given a green light to dispose of substances that could harm the environment, including vehicle oils and medical waste.

Substances already buried there include bonded asbestos and contaminated soil.

However, new rules mean that no individual dump will be allowed to dispose of both hazardous and non-domestic waste together.

Viridor bosses say that they will concentrate on handling household rubbish, which accounts for most of their business, rather than dangerous specialist items.

They insist the designation will make no difference to dumping at the site in the meantime.

Spokesman Dan Cooke said: "In two years, sites will have to take the final choice about how they want to be classed.

"Given that the bulk of our infill is non-hazardous, that is how we will want to be designated.

"The current designation does not mean that anything will be taken to the site that was not taken there yesterday.

"This is merely a label that must be applied to sites which currently take hazardous waste."