Eco Sustainable Solutions Ltd, Parley, Christchurch
Updated 8 April 2014
Applies to England
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Eco Sustainable Solutions Ltd (ESS) is an in-vessel (IV) and green waste composting facility. The site’s permit also allows it to process soils and wood.
The site is located centrally to residential homes, business parks and Bournemouth Airport. The permit allows the site to recycle 45,000 tonnes per year through the IV process and 35,000 tonnes of green waste per year.
Background
Since 2006, the Environment Agency has received numerous complaints from local residents and businesses regarding odours from the composting processes. The reports increased in number and frequency during 2013.
ESS has been issued various warning letters and in March 2011 the company accepted a formal caution for breaching the odour condition of their permit.
In September 2012 the Environment Agency carried out a daily odour survey for a two week period. The results of the survey supported the reports the Environment Agency had received.
In October 2013, the Environment Agency’s national odour expert visited the site and produced a technical overview of the site operations. His report raised a new set of actions to help deal with the odours coming from the site.
The Environment Agency holds regular quarterly meetings with the site operator, continuing to work with them to address ongoing issues.
ESS has applied for a variation to their environmental permit to include a street sweepings plant at the site, so they can process road sweepings and gully washings. The public consultation ended on 12 December 2013.
Latest news
The Environment Agency has served 4 enforcement notices on ESS since 20 December 2013. The notices required them to move from a block system to open windrows for both their green and in-vessel composting. ESS have also been required to improve the aeration of their leachate lagoons, improve the integrity of their food reception building and produce a new environmental management system and odour management plan.
The operator has complied with 3 of the notices and is on course to comply with the fourth notice at the end of April 2014. They have made significant improvements on site and have stopped their in-vessel composting activities.
ESS withdrew their application for a variation to their environmental permit. The application will not be resubmitted until after a period of maintained compliance on site.
ESS has received planning permission from Dorset County Council to add an anaerobic digester plant to the site.
Contact
Report any environmental concerns relating to this site to the Environment Agency’s incident hotline 0800 80 70 60.
For further information email SouthWestEnquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk.