Report investigates plant’s ‘shocking stench’ (From Keighley News)
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Report investigates plant’s ‘shocking stench’
4:00pm Friday 8th February 2013 in Keighley By Keighley News reporter
The campaigners
Campaigners say an independent specialist’s report into the running of a plant they claim omits a “shocking” stench is a step in the right direction.
Stop Omega Stink (SOS) residents’ group represents people from Thornton, Denholme, Well Heads and surrounding areas who have complained about smells from animal rendering firm Omega Proteins at Erlings Works in Denholme.
Omega Proteins said many of the concerns were unfounded, but Bradford Council appointed Steven Pierson, a national expert in odour control, to look into operations because of the number of complaints.
Mr Pierson has written a report the council will discuss with the company, before asking how it plans to resolve any issues raised.
The specialist’s findings have not been made public, but an agenda for the council’s environment and waste overview and scrutiny committee meeting says the report identified a number of concerns with the operation of the plant, and specifically odour abatement equipment.
SOS chairman, Christine Rowland, said some homes were occasionally engulfed in steam from the site, but their main concern was odour.
She said: “The smell can be extremely bad. We can’t have windows open or hang our washing out. In the summer, sometimes, it’s impossible to sit outside in your garden. It’s shocking.
“We’re hoping this report will highlight if there are any solutions, and we’re hoping a timetable can be put in place to make any improvements suggested.”
An Omega Proteins spokesman said the company had not seen the consultant’s findings so could not comment on them, but confirmed a meeting was being arranged with the council.
He added: “Figures published at the last scrutiny committee stated during an 18-month time-frame – between January 2011 and July 2012 – the council visited the plant on 141 occasions to investigate alleged odours, but when further investigation was carried out, on no occasion was there sufficient evidence to support a breach of the odour boundary condition.”
The overview and scrutiny committee meets at 5.30pm on Tuesday at City Hall in Bradford.
