Holly
Smith - 6-Oct-2006 - The Environment Agency has
granted a permit to John Pointon and Sons Ltd
under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations
(PPC) to operate their rendering plant. This took
effect on 3 October 2006 and means that the Environment
Agency is now responsible for regulating the activities
on John Pointon and Sons’ site.
We consulted local people when
John Pointon and Sons first applied to us for
a PPC permit, and again when we made our draft
decision. This was to make sure that we were taking
local concerns fully into account, as we have
to do by law. We also consulted public bodies
such as Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
and the Health Protection Agency.
Many people have pointed out
to us the history of smell problems associated
with the site. We have included specific conditions
in the permit requiring John Pointon and Sons
to prevent or minimise odour from the site activities
and putting limits on odour at the site boundary.
We are also requiring them to make further improvements,
including producing and following an Odour Management
Plan which will have to be approved by us in advance.
The conditions of a PPC permit are legally binding,
and we can and will enforce them if necessary.
We are writing to the people
who live near the plant to make sure that everyone
is aware of our 24-hour emergency hotline, 0800
80 70 60, so that if they have any problems with
smell or noise from the site they can let us know
straight away.
Unfortunately we don’t have
any powers over lorry traffic or smells from lorries
on the public road, which we know has been a problem
for local people in the past. This is still a
matter for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.
In the future we hope to be
part of a liaison group with local residents where
we will be able to report back on the progress
made to improve processes at the plant and review
the performance of the company in dealing with
complaints from the public.
