An Aberdeenshire nursery was forced to keep its children inside yesterday after clouds of black smoke billowed from a neighbouring industrial unit.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has launched an investigation into the burning after Dreams Daycare at Insch Business Park reported the nuisance plumes.
Local environmental health officers confirmed that a controlled burning had been reported at fabrication company ESR UK.
Aberdeenshire Council recieved two complaints about the black smoke, but a spokeswoman said the issue fell within Sepa’s responsibility.
A spokeswoman for Dreams Daycare said that the smoke had been “on-going” since 9am and added: “I don’t see why they could not have arranged to do this at the weekend. I have had to keep all the children in today and all the windows shut. It really has not been pleasant for anybody.
“The burning began just before 9am and there was thick black smoke all morning.”
Stuart Mackie, owner of ESR UK, said: “We have done everything right and by the rules. We mistakenly put an item on that created black smoke, but that won’t be repeated. We contacted environmental health ourselves.”
A Sepa spokesman said: “Sepa has not been contacted in relation to the burning of waste in Insch Business Park.
“The burning of commercial waste is prohibited without the appropriate authorisation in place and should only be undertaken in such a manner as to prevent causing harm to the environment or human health.
“Sepa will investigate this incident and would encourage members of the public to report such incidents to Sepa’s pollution hotline on 0800 807060.”