A company which exports waste wood to Scandinavia has been required to introduce dust control measures after local residents and businesses began to complain of "soggy Weetabix" like material covering the surrounding area.
Stobart Biomass had been exporting waste wood from Shoreham Port since January 2011 and was operating under a low risk waste position, meaning that it was not subject to strict controls. However, in the summer of 2011, complaints were made that wood dust was being blown from the Port into nearby Portslade.
"It was a problem every other week for 2-3 months from September to November, depending on the wind direction", explained Kevin Button, director of local electroplating firm The London & Brighton Plating Co Ltd. "It was like having very soggy Weetabix spread over everything outside, and like Weetabix it was impossible to get off once it had dried".
However, following the complaints, the Environment Agency ensured that dust control measures were introduced. Around £40,000 has now been spent on installing a sprinkler system, longer wall and netting to protect waste wood piles from wind. Waste wood is also no longer piled higher than the height of the wall and it is not loaded onto ships during periods of high wind.
Stobart Biomass has also been required to apply for a standard rules permit, which, if approved, means the site will be more closely regulated. The Shoreham Port Authority, which loads waste wood onto ships on behalf of Stobart Biomass and has been working with Stobart to tackle the dust, said that the company and the Port had gone out of their way to tackle the problem.
Shoreham Port development director, Peter Davies, said the experience had been something of a "learning curve" for both parties as waste wood biomass was a relatively new product. But, he claimed the Port and Stobart Biomass had got on top of the situation and allayed people's fears that the waste wood may be hazardous.
However, Mr Button claimed the new dust control measures did not go far enough and called for the whole waste wood site to be enclosed. He acknowledged that the waste wood was not hazardous but raised concerns that it was still not healthy to breathe in. "We are regulated by the Environment Agency ourselves and are monitoring our own staff for air borne nickel and chrome particles. We are well aware of the risks associated with these but it is not clear what the situation is with waste wood dust", he said. "My opinion is that the whole thing should be enclosed. I don't think the current measures are satisfactory"
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