Stobart Biomass woodchip mill in Portslade, England, blamed by locals for sawdust affecting air quality, harming their health; company says its plant is not the source

Audrey Dixon

LOS ANGELES , October 27, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – The Stobart Biomass Products Ltd. woodchip mill at Shoreham Port, England, is being blamed by residents of nearby Portslade for creating dust that harms their health, but according to a spokesperson the dust does not come from its facility, the British Broadcasting Co. (BBC) reported Oct. 27.

The port acknowledges the dust problem and is working to find a solution, said Peter Davies, Shoreham Port Authority's development director.

Residents of Portslade, East Sussex, said the dust blows from the port, where the company ships woodchips to Scandinavia for power and heat production, reported the BBC.
Carlisle, Scotland-based Stuart Biomass began to ship from its new mill this year and is expected to export about 80,000 tonnes of woodchips in 2011 from the port, according to the Shoreham Port website.

The company and port authority invested more than £40,000 (US$64,475) on measures such as installing a sprinkler and windbreak to limit dust-blowing, said a Stobart Biomass spokesperson, reported the BBC.

He stressed the company adheres to all necessary Environment Agency regulations and believes any problem residents have with air quality does not originate from its “biomass pile”.

The primary source of this article is the British Broadcasting Co. (BBC), London, England, on Oct. 27, 2011.

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