By Ryan Sands
WARRENPOINT Harbour Authority (WHA) has said that it “will not accept any recurrence of the issues of last year”, after reports that the controversial port odour has returned.
The body was responding to a number of statements on the issue – one from Sinn Féin on the return of the “Warrenpoint stench”, and another from local campaign group Rotten to the Point on a general election hustings event on the issue it has organised for tomorrow (Thursday).
Last August, WHA issued an apology for the odour, which it said was being caused by household rubbish being recycled by its tenant Re-Gen Waste.
In February, an environmental audit report on the issue, which included preventative recommendations for the future, was published by Practical Waste Solutions Ltd.
In a statement issued yesterday (Tuesday), Sinn Féin’s Chris Hazzard, the party’s South Down general election candidate, said it was “utterly unacceptable” that the odour has returned.
“In recent days, we have been contacted once again by residents and businesses in Warrenpoint, who are dismayed that the foul odour that plagued the town last summer has returned,” he stated.
“We have visited nearby homes struggling with both the intermittent foul odour, and the huge increase in flies, seemingly associated with the rotting stench.
“Warrenpoint Port must now take urgent action to address this issue once and for all.”
His party colleague, South Down MLA Sinéad Ennis, confirmed that she has requested an urgent meeting with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir to discuss the issue.
“I have spoken with Minister Muir in recent days to relay the anger and desperation in our local community at this situation,” she said.
“I am encouraged that he has listened to the concerns of the community, and engaged constructively with me on this issue.
“I am hopeful a meeting will be facilitated as soon as possible.”
The Rotten to the Point statement highlighted that it will hold the hustings in the town’s Skylite Room tomorrow at 7pm, and that Mr Hazzard and Green Party candidate Declan Walsh had agreed to attend.
It also said that “the foul smell is back to full strength and badly affecting large parts of the community once again”.
Responding to these concerns, WHA said: “Following recent intermittent odours, we have been in close contact with Re-Gen, and we have informed them that we will not accept any recurrence of the issues of last year.
“An independent monitoring team is engaging with Re-Gen to ensure that any current issue is fully addressed.
“Re-Gen have informed us that bale stock in the coming days will be returning to, and will be maintained at, much lower levels, which will be half of the quantity permitted by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
“To date, there has been no detectable issues with flies.
“We continue to monitor this situation very closely.”
Re-Gen also responded when contacted for comment.
“We have been made aware of concerns from residents in Warrenpoint about an increase in odour levels in the vicinity of the harbour, and are investigating the source of the issue,” its statement read.
“The independent environmental report commissioned by WHA earlier this year made a number of recommendations, all of which we have implemented in full.
“The report also identified a number of sources of potential odour in and around the locality.”
