Plans have finally been formed to deal with a pungent stench making life a misery for dozens of Peterhead residents.
Total Waste Management Alliance (TWMA) have submitted proposals to tackle the smell of recycled drilling waste at their Dales Industrial Estate yard.
New drawings show the majority of TWMA’s “liquid treatment process” being moved inside, and an “odour abatement system” being put in place.
Neighbours have welcomed what they deem an overdue move, as many revealed to us how the waft had come to affect their lives.
Residents of the neighbouring Claymore Homes development first complained of the putrid pong two years ago, with some saying they had to stay indoors to protect their nostrils…
Where is Peterhead pong coming from?
Ever since they moved in, those living in the Greenacres development in the west of Peterhead have noticed a slightly iffy smell in the air.
It came to light that the stink was drifting over from TWMA’s site, just a stone’s throw away from those living on Greenacres Avenue.
The Aberdeen-based firm specialises in extracting oil from the waste created by offshore drilling rigs.
At their Dales Industrial Estate yard, the mud from offshore is heated up, with the oil being prised out and the waste being sent to a specialised landfill.
And it’s this process that causes the smell.
‘In the summer, we have to go inside it’s that bad’
We visited neighbours on Greenacres Avenue to hear first hand how the pong row has affected life in their new homes.
One woman, who did not wish to be named, showed us how the vents to her Peterhead home directly face the TWMA yard.
She told The P&J: “The smell is absolutely disgusting, it comes right through our garden and into our vents.
“The noise has been quite bad as well.”
One woman even told us how the stench would “enter her bedroom” through vents during the night, sometimes waking her up.
Along the road, another Greenacres Avenue resident said: “On two or three occasions we had to come in and shut the windows in the summer.
“The smell can be quite horrendous. On a foggy day it can be especially strong.”
What has been done so far to get rid of the stink?
The row between TWMA, Claymore Homes and locals has been ongoing ever since residents first began moving into the development in 2019.
And prior efforts to deal with it have been made.
Back in 2022, locals alleged that Claymore Homes did not warn them of any potential stench issues when they had purchased their dream home.
And since then, those living in the development have been pressuring TWMA to do something about the smell.
Earlier this year, Claymore Homes planted 700 trees along the border between the development and Dales Industrial Estate.
Do you think of the pong problem? Let us know in our comments section below
This, along with TWMA themselves donating trees to residents, has led to some in the area saying the issue has improved since they first moved in.
The firm has also held meetings with neighbours to explain where the smell is coming from, and how they plan to get rid of it.
And it’s expected that the stench could be gone for good if the Peterhead waste firm’s plans are approved by the council.
How does TWMA plan to get rid of Peterhead pong?
In an email sent to locals, TWMA said they expect all of the smellier aspects of their work to be moved inside after the new year.
Once this is complete, the firm hope they can crack on with new plans to convert one of their existing sheds at the rear of their site to deal with it.
TWMA hope to install “odour abatement equipment” and a flue at their Peterhead yard to put an end to the row once and for all.
The waste management company have also told the council that once these new measures are in place, a third party will continue to monitor the aroma to see if these works have been a success.
You can view the full plans here.
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