Company fined for
causing a big stink
A factory has been made to pay
more than £20,000 after Newham Council took them to court for
causing a massive stink that forced residents to close their
windows to the smell of rotting animals.
Stratford Magistrates Court heard how John Knight (Animal
By-Products) Ltd, caused the smell by leaving flesh out in the open
air at their premises in Knights Road, Silvertown.
The animal rendering factory, which processes by-products from
the meat and poultry industries, was prosecuted for creating an
offensive odour beyond their installation boundary and storing
uncovered raw materials outside a designated area.
Newham Council's environmental services officers inspected the
factory in September 2008 following complaints from residents. The
smell was described by some as "sickening" and by others as
"rancid". Many complained that they were unable to open their
windows due to the smell from the factory.
The company pleaded guilty to two breaches of their
Environmental Permit. They were fined a total of £10,000 and
ordered to pay costs of £10,500.
The court heard that the factory receives deliveries of animal
by-products, collected from around the United Kingdom and brought
to the site by road. These include parts of slaughtered animals not
intended for human consumption.
The animal by-products are rendered and used to produce meat and
bone meal which are used in pet food and tallow which can be used
in many household products including soap, cosmetics and paint.
The company claimed it used the best available technology to
minimise odours and investigate complaints immediately.
Cllr Andrew Baikie, executive member for Housing, Process and
Business Efficiency said: "This is a great result for local
residents and a warning to businesses in the area.
"The factory should have ensured that the material was stored in
a specific area that was vented to odour control equipment. The
company should also have had effective emergency control mechanisms
in place to prevent this situation from happening. They didn't and
that is simply unacceptable.
"We will continue to inspect the site to ensure compliance with
their permit and take action as appropriate. Should anyone
experience an odour from the factory that they find offensive, they
can contact our pollution control unit who will investigate."
To contact the unit, call 020 3373 0643 or email
Pollution.Inquiry@newham.gov.uk