FUMING residents says their picturesque town is plagued by stinking waste – and it’s making them sick.
The smell from a waste incinerator and nearby sewage works wafts through homes in Beddington on the outskirts of south London – forcing locals to keep their windows shut constantly.
SWNSStinking waste is ruining Beddington, locals say[/caption]
SWNSEdward Garrod says he can hear the incinerator 24 hours a day[/caption]
SWNSThe bad smell comes from a huge incinerator plant[/caption]
The council say they are monitoring the site – as locals reveal the toll it’s taking on their lives from the moment they wake up.
Peter Pattermore, 71, said: “In the morning, you get the smell from the sewage works.
“It’s like a burning smell, not like tyres burning or wood burning.
“It’s an unusual smell. It’s often there, it’s weekly.”
And locals have detailed a list of grievances – including the infuriating noise of the incinerator.
Edward Garrod, 71, has lived in a house near the incinerator for 44 years and said it has taken a toll on his health and wellbeing.
He said: “It sounds like a car revving up all the time.
“I’ve actually heard it for 24 hours, day and night.
“I’m asthmatic as well. When the incinerator fumes get bad I use my pumps.”
Meanwhile, local Jack McCormack, 18, likened the sound of the incinerator to “plane on the runway”, adding: He said: “It doesn’t make that noise every day, but if it does it can make that noise really loud.
“It’s obviously not good for the environment. The village has just turned into an industrial estate at this point.
“Beddington doesn’t feel like what it used to 10, 12 years ago. I’ve been here 18 years now.
“It’s never been as bad as this. They’re just trying to kill this area, that’s what it feels like.”
‘IT’S A HAZARD’
The council has said they are taking the matter seriously.
One homeowner said: “It’s a hazard. My health has deteriorated as well.
“We can’t open the windows, you can see all along the street windows are closed.
“We smell it every night, it smells very bad.
“We complain to the council. They say ‘Oh, that’s normal’.”
They added: “All my plants are dead. When I moved here the incinerator wasn’t there and my plants were healthy, green.
“Now they’ve got a lot of black spots on them and my veg it’s not growing.
Evelyn Cac, 50, said: “It depends on where the wind blows. It smells really awful.
“We didn’t know if it was coming from there or the other side, where the sewage is.”
Sutton Council said: “The Council takes concerns about health and environmental damage extremely seriously.
“The water treatment works are managed by Thames Water, while the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) is managed by Viridor and regulated by the Environment Agency (EA).
“The Council is in regular communication with the Environment Agency about their monitoring of the ERF site.
“If people have specific concerns about the impacts of any businesses in the borough, they should provide details to the Council.
“In terms of any health concerns, they should seek professional advice from their GP.”
Viridor said: “The Beddington ERF provides a vital service to the residents of four London boroughs, transforming non-recyclable waste into energy every day of the year.
“Our operations team works hard to ensure that the facility operates smoothly and engages with residents should there be a change to operating conditions.
“All waste management facilities in England, including at Beddington require an environmental permit to operate, ensuring that there is no harm caused to human health or the environment as a result of the operations.
“The Beddington ERF operates within a strict Environmental Permit and is regulated by the Environment Agency.
“This means the ERF must comply with all the necessary regulations and permit conditions protecting health and the environment.”
Thames Water said: “Beddington sewage works has not received direct complaints about odour or smells for over a year and the site is working as it should.
“We take complaints about odour seriously, working closely with the local Environmental Health Officer and our customer representatives liaising directly with customers.
“Should customers have any concerns we would encourage them to get in touch with us directly.”
SWNSPeter Pattermore hates the ‘unusual burning smell’[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
