News Compost woes continue for local residents
Spaldington residents have had a smelly Christmas and a stinking New Year, with the composting waste situation in the area continuing into 2008.
Local residents have complained that they have been battling with smells coming from a nearby farm which is composting waste products, creating "unbearable" odours over the Spaldington area.
One local resident said: "We were due to have relations up for Christmas but we just couldn't. It is so demoralising to not be able to have friends and relatives over.
'One of my relatives used to come and her children used to play in my garden, which is out in the country, but she is very protective of them and doesn't want them playing here now.
"The people in question don't seem to be able to see what the problem is, but people who have been working with pigs all their lives have probably lost their sense of smell. Also, you can put up with an awful lot if you are raking in thousands of pounds a week from it."
East Riding ward councillor Paul Robinson said: "At a meeting with Spaldington residents on December 22 I was informed that the local composter has been removing 'composted' material from his farm buildings to maturation heaps in the fields near his farm.
"These movements are thought to have caused the foul smell that engulfed the area. I was also informed that the composter gave a two-fingered greeting to the residents as they slowed their vehicle to observe what was happening.
"The meeting was after I'd received a number of calls and emails from Spaldington residents regarding the smell being generated by the movement of this so-called compost, especially on a Saturday so close to the Christmas holiday.
'I have subsequently spoken to the Environment Agency (EA) and also the East Riding of Yorkshire Council Public Protection.'
The EA has since began a full audit of the composting and land spreading activities carried out at the Spaldington farm, which is to include an investigation of the types, quantities and source of all the material taken in over the last twelve months.
Although some of the concerns relate to animal health issues and the risks associated with importing animal wastes into a farming area, which are not directly under the control of the EA, assurances have been given that the EA is in regular contact with the Animal Health Agency (formerly the State Vets Service) and is committed to dealing with residents' concerns.
It has been confirmed that East Riding's Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee is to have the opportunity to scrutinise the regulation of the agricultural composting issue at its meeting to be held in March.
Published on 10th January 2008 in News.
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