Warehouse blamed for rancid odour and infestation

They claim the smell is coming from waste stored at the nearby Rix Shipping Scotland Ltd’s warehouse.

Local resident Alison Dunlop, 48, said that while there is no smell during the winter, it is “absolutely rank” during the summer.

“The smell has been horrible the last couple of days and now the flies are breaking out,” she said.

“I can’t open our kitchen windows, we have to keep the inside doors shut. We can’t sit out in the garden.”

Angus councillor Bill Duff, SNP member for Montrose and District, is calling for an urgent site meeting with SEPA.

He said: “(The company) are handling and storing Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from Aberdeenshire which is being shipped to Scandinavia as a fuel source.

“The residents are sure this is the source of the problem. The people I spoke to describe an unacceptable situation.”

James Doyle, managing director of Rix Shipping Scotland Ltd, said: “We’d like to reassure residents we take their views seriously, so we are arranging to meet with Councillor Duff to discuss the issue.

“We comply with all the regulations set out in the Waste Management Licence, which includes the application of odour and fly suppressant around our facilities.

“We work closely with the SEPA who inspect our site on a regular basis and report they are satisfied with the arrangements in place.”

A spokesperson from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said: “Sepa officers have carried out several inspections at Montrose Docks in response to complaints from members of the public about odour and flies.

“Whilst we have not identified issues with offensive odours or flies from the licensed facility we have provided guidance to the operator on best practice and steps that can be taken to minimise any risk to the community.”

Source: www.thecourier.co.uk