Website for ‘perfume’ smells at contamination clean up

Strange smells have been reported during work at an old factory site near Hauxton, Cambridgeshire, prompting concerns about air quality.

South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Environment Agency launched the website to provide information on what is happening and why, how the clean-up is being done and some common questions and answers on the work.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “The levels of compounds identified so far are unlikely to pose a risk to health.

“The company which is doing the clean-up work, Vertase, is using

deodourising systems to mask smells from the soil excavation and treatment.”

The land used to be owned by Bayer CropScience which produced agrochemicals including pesticides and herbicides.

Over time, the chemicals have contaminated the soil and ground water on site and pose a potential threat to the Riddy Brook and River Cam, so must now be cleaned-up.

Work on-site is causing intermittent smells to be produced as contaminated soil is dug-up releasing odours which were previously trapped underground.

Air quality around the site is checked daily, and more often if required, and air samples from the site are collected monthly for subsequent analysis.

Luke Walsh