2 Sisters’ final warning plant in new smell complaint
The company’s Coupar Angus chicken factory was the subject of a complaint from a member of public on January 2, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
It was attended to by a SEPA officer within an hour of the call being made, who claimed to have detected “a faint odour only”.
The factory received a final warning letter from SEPA in August 2016, after local residents said the smell was so bad they were unable to open windows and doors.
Local resident Carolyn Brown said the smell from the factory at times before Christmas was so bad she was actually sick, according to TheCourier.co.uk.
Action plan
In response to the letter, 2 Sisters submitted an action plan on September 30 2016. The plan included a range of short-term measures, including improvements to parts of the odour abatement system for the tanks and feather shed, increased use of covers on skips and containers, installation of automatic door closers and better drainage system maintenance.
Longer-term, 2 Sisters pledged to install an odour abatement system in the de-feathering department, including the scalder units. It is due to be completed by the end of May 2017.
In a letter to residents in November 2016, SEPA acknowledged odour abatement in the de-feathering department was a more “complex issue that would require investigation and a considerable amount of investment”.
While it felt these measures did not lead to an immediate reduction in odour from all possible sources at the site, it expected 2 Sisters’ actions would result in long-term improvements and a significant reduction in the odours generated.
One complaint
A spokesman for SEPA told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “Over the Christmas and New Year period, SEPA received one complaint from a member of the public regarding a strong odour from the Coupar Angus chicken factory. This was attended by a SEPA officer who detected a faint odour only.
“We have since contacted the company about this complaint and our discussions are on-going about the abatement of odour issues from their processes.”
A 2 Sisters spokesman told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “The site is continuing to roll out its improvement plan and is in regular contact with SEPA.”
SEPA advised the public to contact its pollution hotline on 0800 807060 if they were affected by odours from the site, or to report any other potential pollution events.
Meanwhile, in 2013, Moy Park was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay Environment Agency costs of £42,500 for emitting foul smells from its poultry unit in Kirkby on Bain, Lincolnshire.
