07/03/2005 - Biodiesel
producer Global Commodities (UK) Ltd has been
fined a total of £17,000 for four offences
and ordered to pay £2,949 costs by magistrates
for operating outside its permitted hours
following a history of noise complaints and
previous warnings.
The company, which operates from premises
at Old Foundry, Shipdham, Thetford, Norfolk
produces bio-diesel from used vegetable oil
which is sold under the name driveECO.
It has to hold an Environment Agency permit
to operate which controls emissions including
noise.
In the company’s application for the permit
it had stated that there was no equipment
which produced significant levels of noise
which could be detected outside the bounds
of the site and that the planned operating
hours would be 8am to 6pm weekdays and up
to midday on Saturdays.
Responding to a noise disturbance complaint
on 10 June 2004, an Environment Agency officer
attended the site and found the factory still
working at 8.50pm.
Production staff were interviewed and one
confirmed that his normal hours of work were
until 9pm. Despite the permit restrictions
his hours had been changed to later shifts
from the end of 2003.
The Environment Agency had sent at least
four warning letters between July 2003 and
June 2004, which were all ignored and two
of the offences occurred after the chairman,
Dennis Thouless, was interviewed about the
incident.
After the hearing Environment Agency officer
Alan Krailing said: ‘Whilst we welcome the
manufacture of biofuels, which are an important
sustainable energy resource, we have a responsibility
to protect the local environment.
‘Companies wishing to produce such fuels
must do so in a responsible manner and in
accordance with the law.’
