Wootton Parish Council encourages any resident affected by any type of Covanta Incident (including odours, dust, noise or other environmental disturbance) to submit a report to the Environment Agency Incident Hotline on 0800 807060. This can also include any adverse physical, medical or health issues.
Incidents should also be reported to Central Bedfordshire Council’s Environmental Health Department, using this email address: pollution@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Bedfordshire Against Covanta Incinerator (BACI) has also requested all incidents be reported to them, via the following website link: click here
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As Principal Contractor, Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) continue to progress with commissioning and testing
activities at the Rookery South Energy Recovery Facility: the final step before the plant becomes fully operational early next year. A team of experienced commissioning engineers are engaged in this important phase, which is also required by the Environment Agency (EA) under the terms of the project’s Environmental Permit.
The next key step in the commissioning process is to clean the inside of the boiler tubes and pipework using pressurised steam produced by heat in the boilers. This activity is known as ‘steam purging’. During this time, residents living closest to the site may hear a noise similar to rushing air. A silencer is fitted to minimise the noise as much as possible. A plume of water vapour will also be visible as the steam condenses in the cooler air outside the facility.
Steam purging is planned to take place throughout May 2021. The nature of testing and commissioning
means the scheduling of activities is subject to change and it is possible that some steam purging may run into early June 2021.
To minimise any potential for the inconvenience, steam purging will take place between the hours of 09.00 and 17.00, Monday to Saturday, and not at all on a Sunday.
Though the potential for odour to be generated was highest during the initial heating of the boilers, it is possible that further odour could occur as the boilers are heated to produce the steam required for steam purging. HZI will continue to make use of temporary activated carbon filters through which building air will be drawn to reduce any odours that may be generated within the boiler hall.
We once again offer our sincere apologies for any disturbance, odours or nuisance caused, please be
assured that any odours are non-hazardous and will be of short duration. If you have any comments or questions in relation to these forthcoming activities please contact us via the Contact Us pages at www.rookerysouth.co.uk/contact-us or by calling the HZI Site Manager (Chris Barbour) on 07950 387 124.