Complaints over Market Harborough 'rotting meat' smell

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-21689717

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The smell from meat rendering factories in a Leicestershire town has been the subject of complaints to the local authority.

People living near the JG Pears plant in Market Harborough describe the odour as being like "rotting meat broth".

A local MP is also concerned that "effluent fluid" from the plant has entered farmland and the River Welland.

JG Pears said it operated under rules set out by the government to contain and abate odours it generated.

Harborough District Council said there was no basis for it to take action against the company.

Sir Edward Garnier, MP for Market Harborough, raised the issue in a special commons debate.

"We can't allow this sort of anti-social behaviour to continue," he said.

"It seems to me there is an absence of will for the company to behave itself as a good neighbour, and the local authority to ensure that it does."

'Unlike anything else'

JG Pears said in a statement: "The plant deals with inherently odorous material and we control the emission of odours using accepted techniques recommended by the secretary of state.

"We seek to ensure that no part of our activities cause a problem or annoyance to our neighbours and we continually invest to improve our abatement facilities."

However, resident Vicky Wilson said: "[The smell] is a rotting meat broth odour. It's quite unlike anything else.

"Sometimes you can't get hold of [Harborough District Council] when you've got a smell, and sometimes they are not available to come down.

"By the time they come down the wind direction has changed, or in some cases they will stand there and disagree with you that the smell is offensive."

Harborough District Council said in a statement: "[The council] has received complaints about emissions from the JG Pears plant in Market Harborough, and environmental health officers have conducted thorough investigations into the issues raised.

"These reports indicate that there is no basis for the council to take any action against the company at this time."