Ensus plant to stack up soon to beat stink

May 10 2010 by Kelley Price, Evening Gazette

BOSSES at a Teesside bioethanol plant, who are working “round the clock” to fix odour problems coming from the site, have brought forward a deadline to double the height of a giant stack to disperse the smell more effectively.

The Environment Agency was called in last month to investigate pungent smells coming from the £300m Ensus plant at Wilton - the largest wheat biorefinery in Europe - after residents living near the site complained.

Ensus chiefs, working to avoid an enforced closure of the new site which began production earlier this year, had estimated a four-month deadline for work to double the height of a 40m metre stack.

The chimney is used to disperse the smell of drying animal feed, a valuable product of the plant, which also produces bioethanol for green transport fuel and for the drinks industry.

Ensus operations director John Billington said work could be completed within seven weeks after the company pledged to work “round the clock”. The company is in talks with Redcar & Cleveland Council to secure planning permission for the programme.

Doubling the height of the stack to 80 metres - 20 metres higher than the Environment Agency’s guidelines - will help disperse the smell much more efficiently, he added.

“Work is progressing as fast as it possibly can, everybody is fighting for an end of June finish date,” said Mr Billington. “The Environment Agency is vetting our programme and examining it very closely to make sure it’s valid. This is in the hands of specialists at the moment.

“The original target for the stack height was 60 metre, Environment Agency guidance on how many odour units are acceptable. We are taking the stack to 80 metres hope this will have a much bigger impact on dispersing the smell.”

Drop-in sessions for residents to air their views on the odour to Ensus bosses will continue this week.

“Our neighbours in Lazenby, Eston-Under-Nab and South Lackenby are the ones most affected by this,” Mr Billington said. “Comments range from angry to those just wanting assurances we are doing the best we can. The situation is unacceptable and we are doing all we can.”

An Environment Agency spokesperson said they were awaiting information from the Health Protection Agency. “We are assessing the situation, carrying out investigations and talking to residents. It is clear that Ensus is taking this issue seriously. As a regulator, our first approach is to work with organisations to offer advice and support rather than prosecute. We have contacted the Health Protection Agency to ask their opinion on the smells and are awaiting information.”