Arbroath company apologises over hand sanitiser pong error.

A pioneering Angus chemical company has apologised to neighbouring residents after accidentally releasing an unwelcome odour from its Covid-19 hand sanitiser production process.

Arbroath-based Stakam is Scotland’s only producer of a polymer thickening agent, which is added to hand sanitiser to improve its texture and ease of use.

The firm is donating 10% of profits from hand sanitiser sales to Broughty Ferry foodbank but fell foul of neighbours after leaks in the production system.

Managing director Alistair Watson sent a letter of apology to residents in the vicinity of its Elliot Business Park plant after the smelly substance got into the air and has now met with locals to assure them there will be no repeat.

He said production of the chemical is being halted until the firm is confident there is no risk of another odour escape.

Mr Watson said: “We are a young ‘craft’ chemical company and our goal is to bring small scale chemical production to Angus, creating jobs and supporting our local supply chain.

“We responded to Covid-19 by turning over our production to making the gel polymers that are required to thicken sanitising hand gels.

“One of the ingredients in the gels is non-hazardous but it is particularly strong smelling, so even the tiniest amount is very noticeable at a distance.

“When we were making our first batches of the gel polymer we suffered some minor leaks.

“Although the leak volumes were small, the pungent nature of the ingredient meant that some of our neighbours were able to smell it and it was rightly reported to Angus Council, who contacted us to confirm the source and investigate that there was no risk to health.

“We are working hard to ensure that we have our system completely closed and we will have our process air purified through a carbon filter in order to minimise potential smells from escaping.”

Mr Watson said he met residents at the end of last week.