Teesside's Ensus plant reopens
Jul 20 2010 by Kelley Price, Evening Gazette
TEESSIDE'S bioethanol plant has reopened after remedial work to stem strong odours coming from the site.
Ensus, the green company behind the major wheat biorefinery at Wilton, had been trading just weeks when residents living near the plant complained of a potent smell in April.
Bosses closed the plant on June 30 and say they have spent a “significant” seven-figure sum on work to double the height of a 40 metre chimney stack to help disperse the odour more efficiently.
The company has also previously announced plans to install technology to destroy odour before it enters the stack.
Alwyn Hughes, chief executive of Ensus, said: “It’s early days, but the first indications show there is a significant reduction in odour and the stack has made a big difference. The total cost of work is unclear because our focus was getting the stack built as quickly as possible. We are still waiting for the final bills.”
Residents, he added, may still pick up a smell, depending on weather conditions and where they live.
“Clearly we’re hopeful that the stack does perform a lot better and the local community will see a significant reduction. We will be actively monitoring it, and are working with the Environment Agency and local people to resolve this.
“The Environment Agency will be checking the work and the first step will be to see how much difference heightening the stack has made, before looking at the next stage.
“We apologise to residents for any inconvenience caused and hope this work will make a significant and noticeable difference.”
Environment Agency project manager Julian Carrington said: “We are monitoring the odour coming from the Ensus plant and working closely with the Health Protection Agency and the company to make sure there is no harm to people’s health.
“Our monitoring will help us check how effective the new taller chimney is at dispersing the odour, however a reduction in odour will depend on wind direction and where people live.”
