Latest news with #NorthernIrelandEnvironmentAgency
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents say factory smell like 'rotten eggs'
People living near a milk powder factory have said more needs to be done to tackle a "pungent odour like rotten eggs" which is coming from the site. Residents of Artigarvan, County Tyrone, said they had been concerned about the smells coming from the Lakeland Dairies plant in the village for around five years. Some people are now planning to move away because of the stench, which has been described as "worse than slurry". The factory owners said they were "reviewing a small number of complaints" connected to a smell "noticed on occasion around our site". The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), which investigates environmental safety breaches, said it had received 58 complaints about the smell, noise and dust coming from the factory in the last 12 months. The agency has issued three enforcement notices to the company over the same time period. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Ruth Campbell from the Artigarvan Environment Group said concerns had been raised directly with the company a number of times. "For the past five years we have had a thick pungent odour like rotten eggs sweeping through the air in Artigarvan," she said. "We feel like we are hitting a brick wall every time we raise the smell officially. "No one is helping us." Ms Campbell said some people were even taping their windows shut to keep the smell out and that some parents were not letting their children play outside. She said some children even get "teased about living in smelly Artigarvan". Residents believe the smell is coming from the factory's effluent plant. Charlene Austin said the smell was "worse than slurry". "It's like rotten boiled eggs," she said. "It hits the pit of your stomach. We can't even open our windows or dry our clothes properly. "We have been shouting about this a lot and are fed up to the back teeth. "Something needs fixed now." Artigarvan resident Emma Kelly said trying to get the problem addressed had been "very frustrating". "We feel ignored in so many ways. We've kept a close eye during high milking season and low milking season and the same pungent odour is present. "People are already selling their houses and they are going to struggle selling up. I know if I came into the area I'd turn the car," she said. In a statement, Lakeland Dairies said the facility was "among the most modern in the UK, Ireland and worldwide". The company said it had invested "significantly" in the Artigarvan plant, including the waste water treatment facility. "The company works tirelessly to ensure the plant continues to meet all its legislative requirements and endeavours to meet the expectations of residents," a spokesperson said. "We are monitoring and reviewing a small number of complaints regarding a natural and safe odour that was noticed on occasion around our site in Artigarvan." Lakeland Dairies said it engaged regularly with local people and would continue to do so. "This excellent relationship is not something we take for granted and we will continue to work closely with the residents and their representatives on issues of mutual interest," the company said. The NIEA said of the three enforcement notices one related directly to the odour, one was in connection to a breach of emission limits at the site's effluent treatment plant and the third was related to a surface water breach. "These notices have led to the company carrying out significant improvement works at the site, with more work currently ongoing". The agency said the work had included improvements to their effluent treatment plant, drainage on the site and containment of potential odour sources. It said additional work required at the factory would be completed by the end of next month.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents say factory smell like 'rotten eggs'
People living near a milk powder factory have said more needs to be done to tackle a "pungent odour like rotten eggs" which is coming from the site. Residents of Artigarvan, County Tyrone, said they had been concerned about the smells coming from the Lakeland Dairies plant in the village for around five years. Some people are now planning to move away because of the stench, which has been described as "worse than slurry". The factory owners said they were "reviewing a small number of complaints" connected to a smell "noticed on occasion around our site". The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), which investigates environmental safety breaches, said it had received 58 complaints about the smell, noise and dust coming from the factory in the last 12 months. The agency has issued three enforcement notices to the company over the same time period. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Ruth Campbell from the Artigarvan Environment Group said concerns had been raised directly with the company a number of times. "For the past five years we have had a thick pungent odour like rotten eggs sweeping through the air in Artigarvan," she said. "We feel like we are hitting a brick wall every time we raise the smell officially. "No one is helping us." Ms Campbell said some people were even taping their windows shut to keep the smell out and that some parents were not letting their children play outside. She said some children even get "teased about living in smelly Artigarvan". Residents believe the smell is coming from the factory's effluent plant. Charlene Austin said the smell was "worse than slurry". "It's like rotten boiled eggs," she said. "It hits the pit of your stomach. We can't even open our windows or dry our clothes properly. "We have been shouting about this a lot and are fed up to the back teeth. "Something needs fixed now." Artigarvan resident Emma Kelly said trying to get the problem addressed had been "very frustrating". "We feel ignored in so many ways. We've kept a close eye during high milking season and low milking season and the same pungent odour is present. "People are already selling their houses and they are going to struggle selling up. I know if I came into the area I'd turn the car," she said. In a statement, Lakeland Dairies said the facility was "among the most modern in the UK, Ireland and worldwide". The company said it had invested "significantly" in the Artigarvan plant, including the waste water treatment facility. "The company works tirelessly to ensure the plant continues to meet all its legislative requirements and endeavours to meet the expectations of residents," a spokesperson said. "We are monitoring and reviewing a small number of complaints regarding a natural and safe odour that was noticed on occasion around our site in Artigarvan." Lakeland Dairies said it engaged regularly with local people and would continue to do so. "This excellent relationship is not something we take for granted and we will continue to work closely with the residents and their representatives on issues of mutual interest," the company said. The NIEA said of the three enforcement notices one related directly to the odour, one was in connection to a breach of emission limits at the site's effluent treatment plant and the third was related to a surface water breach. "These notices have led to the company carrying out significant improvement works at the site, with more work currently ongoing". The agency said the work had included improvements to their effluent treatment plant, drainage on the site and containment of potential odour sources. It said additional work required at the factory would be completed by the end of next month.
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Belfast Zoo closed for a second day after E.coli outbreak
Belfast Zoo is closed for a second day after was found in a water sample from the zoo closed on Tuesday as a "precautionary measure", operators Belfast City Council said, while the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the council's environmental health team carry out more closure was then extended into council said the safety of visitors and animals "remains our top priority" and that it hopes to reopen "as soon as possible". The council also apologised for any disappointment caused for those with pre-booked tickets and advised them to contact the zoo for a zoo initially announced it was closed on Tuesday due to "an urgent maintenance issue", Belfast Live reported before it was later confirmed that had been City Council said further updates on reopening will be provided via the zoo's website and social media channels. E. coli are a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in human and animal types are harmless but others can make people seriously ill.
Agriland
09-06-2025
- Agriland
Farmer convicted at Tyrone court for water pollution offence
A Co. Tyrone farmer pleaded guilty and was convicted at Dungannon Magistrates' Court today (Monday, June 9) in relation to a water pollution offence. Harry Brown (62), Lurganeden Road, Pomeroy, Co Tyrone, pleaded guilty and was fined £1,500 plus a £15 offenders levy for a pollution offence that had impacted the Claggan River – a tributary of the Ballinderry River which flows into Lough Neagh. Dungannon Magistrates' Court heard that Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) water quality inspectors responded to a water pollution incident that took place between June 12 and June 13 last year. The NIEA inspectors discovered that 'dark grey coloured agricultural effluent was flowing along a ditch, alongside the Pomeroy Road, before discharging to the Claggan River'. The court was also informed that the inspectors 'traced the flow of effluent to farm premises at Lurganeden Road'. Brown, who was present on the farm, told the inspectors that he had been cleaning out one of the poultry houses. Dungannon Magistrates' Court also heard that a 'nearby wooded area was inspected and dark grey coloured agricultural effluent was observed to be actively flowing through that area, and then entering land drainage pipes, before discharge to the waterway'. Pollution As part of the investigation, a statutory sample of the discharge was collected and analysed. The sample results indicated that the sample 'contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to aquatic life in a receiving waterway'. According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) it is an offence under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 to 'make a polluting discharge to a waterway'. Water pollution management in Northern Ireland has been divided into nine areas. Each of the nine areas is staffed by an environmental health (rivers) officer (EHRO) or senior water quality inspector (SWQI) and a number of water quality inspectors (WQIs) who act as field agents on behalf of DAERA. If a pollution incident is reported to DAERA or is discovered during its work, the pollution response team 'will find and stop the source of the pollution, identify the polluter and when necessary collect enough evidence to secure a prosecution'. The department has also advised that if anyone wants to report a pollution incident they can call a 24-hour NIEA incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
Agriland
06-06-2025
- Agriland
Court: NI farmer fined for water pollution offence
A court in Northern Ireland has fined a farmer for a water pollution offence arising from 'farm effluent' being discharged into a river. Hugh Allen of Drumahiskey Road, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim was convicted today (Friday, June 6) at Coleraine Magistrates' Court for an offence under Article 7(1)(a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, as amended. The 55-year-old had pleaded guilty and was fined £1,500 plus £15 offenders levy. Court The court heard that Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) water quality inspectors responded to a report of dead fish in the Ballymoney River on June 18, 2024. The inspectors carried out their investigation in an upstream direction to where grey fungus was visible on the bed of the Ballymoney River. The inspectors traced the polluting impact further upstream to a location where a concrete pipe was actively discharging farm effluent to the waterway. As part of the investigation, a statutory sample of the discharge was collected and analysed. The sample results indicated that the sample contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to aquatic life in a receiving waterway. On June 19, 2024, inspectors examined the silo area on the suspected farm. A silage effluent collection channel was noted to have been blocked with grass and as a result silage effluent was discharging from the silage clamp into a piped drain before entering the Ballymoney River. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) advised anyone wishing to report a pollution incident to call the 24-hour NIEA Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
