âRotten eggâ smell continues despite assurances
A ârotten eggâ smell has persisted for more than a year â to the detriment of nearby householders â despite assurances the emissions believed to be responsible had been reduced.
People living near the Aycliffe Quarry landfill site in County Durham said, last week, the odour was âoff the chartsâ and âturned their stomachsâ.
The quarry was identified by the Environment Agency (EA) as being the source of the âstenchâ last year, but the owner of the site has denied it is responsible for the latest problem.
The EA said it was committed to ensuring any necessary action was taken to resolve the issue.
The quarryâs owner said it had recorded an odour from a biogas facility on the nearby Aycliffe Industrial Estate.
But the EA said smells from that site had not been picked up around areas of housing.
Liz Brown, who lives three miles from the quarry, said the smell last week was so bad she woke with a âbad headâ.
Another resident, Emma Eyre, said the smell was âabsolutely vileâ.
âI live in Harrowgate Hill, and smell it most nights,â she said.
âIt turns my stomach. The stench stays in your house for days.â
Katie Louise, who lives in nearby Brafferton village, said the smell had been constant since last September, and was affecting her, and other residentsâ, mental health.
She said her teenage daughter had asked if she smelt like a bin.
âIt breaks my heart,â Ms Louise said.
The EA is investigating Aycliffe Quarry, which is owned by the Ashcourt Group, after issuing an enforcement notice in February.
It installed an odour monitoring unit in Brafferton in June.
Interim results, due to be published at the end of September, were âbeing compiled and will be issued as soon as possibleâ, the EA said.
Ashcourt said there had been âodour emanating from a biogas facility on the nearby industrial estate at Newton Aycliffeâ.
âWe have recorded this in our ongoing monitoring checks,â it added.
It also said the wind direction did not match the complaints â but did not provide evidence.
âSources of odourâ
Bio Capital, which runs Warrens Emerald Biogas waste treatment plant on the industrial estate, said it operated âfully in accordance with the permits and environmental regulations set by the authoritiesâ.
It said it took complaints âvery seriouslyâ, but pointed out âother potential sources of odour in the vicinity, such as the nearby quarryâ.
The EA said it was regularly assessing the quarry, which continued to implement measures to reduce gas emissions.
âWe will consider appropriate enforcement action if necessary,â a spokesperson said.
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