– The first time I smelled it, I went around the whole house looking for food waste. I thought I had forgotten something somewhere. It smells horrible, old food waste, describes Laila Langaker. She works in Espira Litlasund kindergarten together with Inger Lise Fostenes. – The smell has at times been horrible. Especially on warm spring days. Then it knocks us out, says Fostenes. She is a manager at the nursery school in Torvastad and tells about nausea and headaches, and how young and old have to escape into the nursery school when they would rather be outside. – I had an assistant who was pregnant. She was called in sick because the smell really made her sick, says the manager. The smell settled in hair and clothes. And inside, the smell comes via the ventilation system. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news A stone’s throw away is a factory that produces biosubstrate. Since spring 2021, factory neighbors have sent almost 600 odor complaints to Miljøfør Vest and the State Administrator in Rogaland. Calling the number of complaints unique – This is one of the companies that has received the most complaints. What is special here is that the complaints come from a fairly wide range of people. It’s a bit unique, says head of pollution, Kirsten Redmond Kristiansen. Kirsten Redmond Kristiansen is head of pollution at the State Administrator in Rogaland. Photo: Carina Johansen / State administrator in Rogaland Berre this year, the business has received 174 complaints about smells. The complaints have been submitted on 71 different days. From 34 different addresses. Complainants tell of grandchildren who do not want to visit because it smells so disgusting. About nice days that cannot be enjoyed outside, and about encountering a wall of stench when they drive home from work. A neighbor broke down while gardening. And another describes a smell that lies somewhere between thin dirt and vomit. The same deviations were repeated. It all started in 2018 when Miljøfør moved from a harbor area with other businesses to an industrial plot in a residential area. According to Google Maps, the nearest residence is 44 meters from the factory. After the move, they changed their business from the production of animal feed to biosubstrate. But by the State Administrator, then the County Governor, they were allowed to operate without a discharge permit, with a delay if the matter had to be reassessed if it was a nuisance to the neighbours. In the spring of 2021, the first neighbor complaints came. Therefore, the State Administrator came for an inspection and asked the company to carry out analyzes that could quantify the odor emissions and document how the smell affects the neighbours. The results meant that the State Administrator asked Miljøfôr Vest to apply for a license to operate in accordance with the Pollution Act. This was granted in the spring of 2023. But the complaints persisted and in August of the same year the State Administrator came for another inspection. Here they uncover three deviations: The odor risk assessment is not sufficient. They lack internal control and documentation in line with the licence. They exceed the odor requirement in the discharge loop. A year later, in August this year, a new inspection revealed two deviations: Internal control with regard to smell is not sufficient. They exceed the odor requirement in the discharge loop. The deviations are identical to those from 2023. – It is serious when the same deviations occur again, says Kristiansen at the State Administrator in Rogaland. Miljøfør Noreg has facilities in Akershus and Karmøy. Michel Fjeldstad is the day-to-day manager. Daily manager of Miljøfør Noreg, Michel Fjeldstad. Photo: Private – The one discrepancy concerns the reception control. There we create new deviation forms in line with the advice from the State Administrator. We apologize for misunderstanding this. When it comes to smell, we don’t quite agree on that deviation, says Fjeldstad. He states that an external actor has taken new odor tests, and that they are now waiting for the results of these. Disagree in the smell – The number of complaints is approaching 600. What is your comment on the fact that there are so many complaints? – It is regrettable, but we take measures all the time. Now we have just had a new service at all sewage treatment plants. When there are complaints, we take them seriously, he says. – Neighbors say that they cannot be out, that they become physically ill and that they cannot have visitors. What do you think about it? – It doesn’t sound good at all, but we have spent a lot of time on this and we don’t get the same feeling, but smell is very individual. When asked about the location of the facility so close to housing, school and kindergarten, Fjeldstad replies that the business is located in an industrial area and that the housing is not that close. Fjeldstad also says that they have several plants that produce the same product where there is no problem with neighboring warehouses and that none of these have as extensive purification facilities as the factory in Karmøy. The municipal doctor asked for a meeting. Verksemda must report by 7 October how they have rectified the deviation. In addition, the State Administrator has asked the Norwegian Environment Agency for advice. – The discharge loop is awaiting complaint processing at the Norwegian Environment Agency, but we have also contacted them in relation to the legislation surrounding this smell, because it is extremely difficult to regulate, says Kristiansen. There is a neighbor of the business who has complained that they were given a license in the first place. But the State Administrator has found no reason to change the decision and has therefore forwarded the case to the Norwegian Environment Agency. And even if the permit was given with conditions, including when it comes to smell. Isn’t it just to withdraw it. – On a general basis, it takes a bit to get a permit. There must be gross failure and there will almost always be a period where we first use other remedies. But we will follow up the results of the inspection and if they do not correct the deviation within the deadline, we will consider other remedies. As, for example, compulsory fines, Kristiansen explains. In the meantime, odor complaints flow into the State Administrator, even though it is the business that should have them. – It is the business that must receive the complaints and register them as deviations in their system and take measures to correct them. But one of the findings in the inspection was that the company does not necessarily do this. We hope to get a good answer on how the company will work with this in the future. It takes time and we understand it is frustrating for the neighbours. Karmøy municipality has also received complaints from residents. Municipal chief physician Eva Biringer recently asked for a meeting with the State Administrator. Municipal chief physician in Karmøy, Eva Biringer. Photo: Karmøy municipality – As a municipal doctor, I am concerned with the residents’ health and see it as my duty to follow up on this matter. Based on the number of complaints that have come to the municipality and the State Administrator, I think this is something that many residents experience as unpleasant at times, she says. I think there are more children crying on the worst days. Laila Langaker is hurt by the children in the nursery. – They come over and ask why it smells so disgusting. On the worst days, there is also more baby crying, she says. But the village is also her home and she has sent several complaints. The hope is that the factory will move. – It’s like you’re considering whether to continue living here, but I’m so happy with the place, says Laila Langaker. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news – We don’t understand how someone can choose to move such a facility to a place with kindergartens, schools and many houses, she says. Hi! Do you have any thoughts about the story you just read, or tips for other things I should check out? Feel free to send me an email! Published 28.09.2024, at 10.48
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Factory on Karmøy emits so much smell that the residents are sick – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
