Neighbour polluting area with sludge: any advice?

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speedy

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I wasn't sure where to post this but i'm hoping someone out there could give me some advice.

My parents live in the countryside. Yesterday (26-08-2006) and the previous Friday, tonnes of waste was dumped in our neighbours land.

Dad thinks it has come from a protein factory.

I can only describe the smell as rotting carcasses. This is definitely not slurry. The smell stays in the air for at least 48 hours. No one can hang out clothes, can't go outside, even with all the windows and doors shut the smell still hangs in the house. There's only one room that doesn't have the smell. after it's dumped it is spread out on the land during the week and then the smell comes back.

Now the problem with this particular neighbour is that he couldn't give a damn about other neighbours and is not approachable. My parents are so stressed that i could see my father having a heart attack over it all. How do you identify what the stuff is or who can you contact about these matters??? Do farmers need licences to spread industrial waste??

If anyone can give me any advice i would really appreciate it. My parents house is getting the brunt of the smell and it really is sickening. and this could be getting down in the water basin etc etc

thanks
 
Re: please help-need advice-neighbour polluting area with sludge

Speedy, if you are worried about waste being dumped you can contact the environment dept. of your local council.

This is the the time of year when farmers spread fertilizer on the meadows and I'm afraid it does pong a bit.

We have the smell here, today and yesterday, and yes it does come in the house if the windows are open. But we live in the country side and have to expect this sort of thing as it is a farming community. The smell wont last that long and it is probably because the wind is in a certain direction that it is so bad.
 
Re: please help-need advice-neighbour polluting area with sludge

hey swallows
thanks for replying. nope its definitely not normal slurry or manure or anything like it. we've been in this area for 30 years and this is not normal waste at all. you know the smell that would come off an offal lorry when it passes, well multiply that by 200!would it be normal to spread waste from a protein factory? dad's ringing the environment office on monday so hopefully they'll be of some help.
 
Re: please help-need advice-neighbour polluting area with sludge

Speedy, that would definitely be against the law to dump that sort of waste on land. The environment dept. should be able to look into it. What are the circumstances whereby the neighbour got this load dumped? Was someone doing the dumping on his land or did he allow it to be dumped, or did he order it specially for fertilizer?
 
Re: please help-need advice-neighbour polluting area with sludge

You might also be able to sue for the Tort of nuisance, if this is not a normal countryside activity. (i.e. if it is not normal animal waste).
 
Re: please help-need advice-neighbour polluting area with sludge

the farmer is allowing this to be dumped on his land....he really isn't the kind of man you could question or talk to rationally and of course my parents don't really want to be causing hassle because you wouldn't know what way he'd react if you know what i mean............
 
Hi Speedy,

I suggest you also contact the epa.

The EPA suggest contacting the Local Authority in the case of slurry but are silent on the subject of spreading of "non slurry" industrial waste.

[broken link removed]

There is a farmer spreading slurry, causing dreadful distress to neighbours due to smell/there is a factory nearby and the smell is dreadful at times. Can the EPA do anything about this?
There are procedures and guidelines dealing with slurry spreading (there may be local by-laws).

If farmers follow these procedures then the problems of odour are considerably reduced but they won't be eliminated.

Local problems such as these should be dealt with locally, e.g. by the Local Authority.

If the industry causing the odour problem is licensed by the EPA then we should be contacted.

All licences issued by the EPA contain provisions relating to odour.
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