Incinerator black smoke claims

PEOPLE living near a controversial waste incinerator say acrid black smoke has been seen coming out of the chimney.

The Biomass UK No 2 site in Barry is not yet operational.

Site owner Aviva Investors put the discharge down to “operational testing”.

There have also been claims that clouds of wood chip dust coming from the site are causing breathing difficulties for people living in the area.

One nearby business owner said: “They started it up at 3.30pm on Friday. They said that it was just steam but it wasn’t – there was black smoke. What they are doing is testing it every day.”

The Docks Incinerator Action Group (DIAG) claims there have been “mixed messages” from Vale of Glamorgan Council, which granted planning permission for the project, Natural Resources Wales, which gave the site a licence and Aviva Investors, which manages a fund for the site on behalf of its private owners.

A spokesman for DIAG said: “Neither Natural Resources Wales nor the Vale of Glamorgan Council seem to be able to agree as to the precise nature of the current activities at the incinerator.

“Natural Resources Wales claim that the operator is still in the ‘construction phase’ and Vale of Glamorgan Council claim that this is pre-commissioning work.”

The Vale council’s regulator said precommissioning work is taking place at the incinerator.

A spokesman for Shared Regulatory Services said a small amount of smoke being created “is due to burning of diesel fuel used as part of this pre-commissioning phase”.

He said: “We are aware of health concerns that have been expressed by local residents, but through consultation with Natural Resources Wales and the operator we are not aware of any emissions that are of public health concern.”

A spokesman for Aviva Investors said: “The Barry Biomass project is a renewable energy plant that uses gasification, which is supported by the UK and Welsh governments, to generate electricity. Once operational, the facility will be a source of renewable energy within the local distribution network.

“The plant is currently undergoing operational testing and we are running to our expected timetable.”

A site managed by JM Envirofuels (Barry) Ltd is permitted to accept non-hazardous waste wood, in chipped form. This site is separate to the Biomass site and operates under a separate permit.

Natural Resources Wales said it is regularly visiting the area, and during an inspection was unable to substantiate any unusual dust emissions.

A spokesman said: “The wood stored at JMEL is chipped to 40mm at a separate location and we are satisfied that current storage arrangements are not contributing to dust off site.

“Nevertheless, we continue to ensure that dust suppression techniques are employed where necessary, e.g. during deliveries and adverse weather conditions.”

JM Envirofuels (Barry) Ltd has been contacted for comment.