On Friday last week, Oliver visited the Reviva Recycling Plant near Elstree along with his Parliamentary colleague, Mr Matthew Offord, MP for neighbouring Hendon.

The visit was arranged to give both MPs the chance to raise the concerns of local people directly with the managers of the plant and see for themselves the effect of the plant’s operations on those living nearby.

Speaking after the visit, Oliver said: ‘I know many people are concerned about the Reviva Plant and I wanted to see for myself the impact it was having. In particular, I know lots of people were worried about the potential harmful effects of the chemicals and smells from the plant on the surrounding area.

‘I raised these directly with the site owners.

‘In particular, I know that parents of children at the local nursery are concerned about the health impact pollution. I was pleased to receive a firm assurance from them that their work is purely organic and that no chemicals are used in their operations.

‘They also detailed how, to address the problem of pungent smells being emitted, their proposed expansion will allow all their waste treatment work to take place indoors where these smells can be contained.’

The visit to the plant comes following a campaign by local residents and representations by Oliver to the County Council last year for the plant and the Council to address its impact on the surrounding area.

Oliver added: ‘I was glad to see the site owners taking on board the serious concerns we raised with them. I will continue to engage local residents and the owners to address these concerns.  ’