Mystery of Manvers waste plant smell complaints

A report to Rotherham Borough Council revealed that there had been 69 complaints made in the past four months about the smell from the BDR plant run by Renewi at Manvers - more than 11 times the number in the previous seven months.

The figures, revealed in the council’s annual report on the plant, showed that February alone brought 39 complaints. 

The report said there had been a change in odour from the site but “this is not regarded as malodorous by the Environment Agency”.

Renewi contract director Simon Lund said it was not clear what the cause of many complaints - a quarter of which was from the same person - was.

“We investigate and liaise with the Environment Agency following each complaint,” he said.

“It is felt that the bio-filter at the plant may be the cause of a change in odour from the facility and urgent work is taking place to rectify this.

“However, we have not been able to establish that some of the odours complained about are coming from the facility. 

“For instance, the smell of burning plastic features in a number of complaints, but we do not burn anything at the site. 

“Also, plumes coming from the site in cold weather are purely moisture. 

“But one complaint is one too many and we have drawn up a revised Odour Management Plan and will be meeting the EA on site to discuss this.”

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said officers had carried out air quality assessments at the plant.

No permit breaches had been recorded but the site would continue to be monitored and its waste odour management plan reviewed, he said.

Pesticide measures have been expanded and more robust control of raw waste stock levels put in place to combat fly problems, which saw 76 complaints made about bugs last summer.

The annual report also looked at health and safety, revealing there had been no major accidents, with 12 minor ones and 13 “dangerous occurrences”.

A total of 660 “close calls” were recorded - close calls are not incidents, they are where staff have made an observation of something that has the potential to cause an accident and should be addressed.

The BDR plant has processed 51,589 tonnes of household waste from Rotherham (out of a total of just over 160,000 tonnes from Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster) in nine months.

Just over three per cent of this rubbish is sent to landfill, with almost 90 per cent reclaimed for reuse in generating power at an incinerator facility at Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire.

To complain about waste odours in your area, call the EA on 0800 807060.