Comment for planning application SCC/0045/23SE

Helions Bumpstead Village Hall Helions Bumpstead

Helions Bumpstead Parish Council OBJECTS to the proposal by Acorn to build an anaerobic digester on the north west side of Haverhill because of the well documented smell which these installations emit and the danger to surrounding populated areas, including Helions Bumpstead, in the event of an accident. The large, slow agricultural vehicles delivering slurry to the digester would impede the single track roads in Helions Bumpstead village and the methane tankers taking the digester's product to Milton Keynes would add the possibility of explosion to the notorious dangers of the A1307. The construction of a digester so close to 30,000 residents would be irresponsible when large uninhabited areas are available in the vicinity. Until recently, the unpleasant odour of the IFF factory in Haverhill could be smelt in Helions Bumpstead when the wind blew in our direction. This is now mostly controlled, although not completely eliminated, but the smell of the various gaseous emissions from the proposed digester would be blown to Helions Bumpstead in the same way. Hydrogen sulphide from the digester is of particular concern because it is hard to trap and because of its smell of rotten eggs at the very low concentrations of 0.01-1.5 ppm 1 depending on individual sensitivity. Toxic effects are apparent above this concentration (2 ppm) and are particularly dangerous to those with co-morbidities such as asthma. Concentrations of 100 ppm, at which olfactory exhaustion occurs and prolonged exposure can cause death, are less likely, except perhaps in the event of a catastrophic accident. Ammonia and volatile fatty acids such as butyric acid (a principal ingredient of body odour) are also a concern as they are unpleasant in extremely low concentrations. These odours are in addition the hazard from aerosols which have the potential to contain high concentrations of bacteria. Even proponents of digesters suggest that these emissions can be minimised rather than eliminated and they suggest that design and location are the principal determinants in minimising disruptive odours 2 . In the view of Helions Bumpstead Parish Council, the site chosen by Acorn for the digester is in the wrong location. References 1 Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor , https://www.osha.gov/hydrogen-sulfide/hazards 2 https://birchsolutions.co.uk/do-anaerobic-digestor-plants-smell/