[hisimp-chat] return of the Histon "Pong"

[Paul Malpas]

I had wondered if it was drains-borne, and finding it's way up out of storm
drains?  This might explain the intermittent nature and the sporadic
'pop-up' of the location of smells.

 

Paul

 

  _____  

From: hisimp-chat-bounces at the-hug.net
[mailto:hisimp-chat-bounces at the-hug.net] On Behalf Of Barbara & Brian
Sent: 12 April 2009 22:10
To: hisimp-chat at the-hug.net
Subject: [hisimp-chat] return of the Histon "Pong"

 

 

 

                                       12th April 2009

 

Hello Everyone,

 

RETURN OF THE HISTON "PONG"

-----------------------------------------------------

 

We need  your help again please.

 

You may remember that during 2008, some of us Histon residents suffered the
very unpleasant smells coming from the Premier Foods site.

 

In December 2008, Premier Foods installed a roof onto one of their effluent
tanks, as previously this had been uncovered, and was thought to be the
cause of the nasty odours. We were all very pleased, and thought that was an
end to the problem.

 

However, during January 2009, the smell was very obvious once again, albeit
intermittently, and unfortunately is still continuing, again intermittently.

 

This has been reported to Nick Atkins at SCDC environmental dept, over the
months, and more recently, directly to Premier Foods, Environmental Manager,
Louisa Cook too.

 

To their credit, Premier Foods are doing their very best to try and pinpoint
exactly what the smell is and where it is originating from. I have had a
personal visit from Louisa, which we both felt was very useful, and Louisa
pointed out that they want to solve this problem just as much as we do, and
do not wish to be "bad neighbours". 

 

There have been a number of theories put forward, but each time these have
been dealt with by Premier Foods, unfortunately, the bad smell continues,
but because this smell is not around permanently, it is very difficult to
detect its origins. 

 

To give you an example, on Good Friday (10th April 2009) District Councillor
Mike Mason and myself went off on "Pong Patrol" for about 3 hours during the
afternoon, trying to eliminate any possible causes, (other than the Premier
Foods site), of the stench.  We did not find anything obvious, and in fact
did not smell anything nasty, until around 16.30 hours on the footpath
behind the houses in Somerset Rd, where we experienced the nasty odour. This
is directly in line with the effluent tanks etc..............but to be fair,
we had already walked this route about 90 minutes earlier, and NOT smelt the
nasty pong.......so this is how difficult the situation is, as by the time
the stench has been reported to the "powers that be", and they appear on
site, the smell has disappeared. 

 

To my knowledge, the general area experiencing the smell is Home Close,
Somerset Road, Merton Rd & Shirley Rd, and sometimes it spreads as far as
Manor Park,  Park Avenue and, in the opposite direction, at  New School Road
and Saffron Road, which I guess, depends on the wind direction.

 

If you experience the bad odours, which can only be described as a sickening
sewage type smell, can you report it to Nick Atkins & Louisa Cook too please
?

as they need as much detailed information (location, dates, times etc) as
possible in order to try and solve this issue.

 

Contact details:

 

 Nick Atkins
Environmental Health Officer 
South Cambridgeshire District Council
South Cambridgeshire Hall
Cambourne Business Park
Cambourne
CAMBRIDGE
CB23 6EA 
Direct Line (01954) 713260 
Fax (01954) 713149 


email:   Nick.Atkins at scambs.gov.uk

 

 

 

Ms.Louisa Cook                        Tel: 01223 202479

Environmental Manager

Premier Foods,                         Fax: 01223 202437

The Orchard,

Chivers Way,           (Main switchboard: 01223 233333)

Histon, Cambridge

CB24 9NR                            

 

email: louisa.cook at premierfoods.co.uk

 

 

None of us want to experience another Summer like last year, when we had to
keep our doors and windows closed, and could not sit in our gardens at
times, so your help will be very much appreciated.  Thank you.

 

regards,

 

Barbara  Kempton

Merton Rd

Histon.

 

 

 

 

 

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