An E-Mail To Hillingdon Council That Packs A Powerful Punch

Hello Mr Davis,

I understand you are the person at Hillingdon council who we, residents of both Hillingdon and Ealing, are to contact regarding the disgusting, irritating and toxic smell we have to endure coming from the FM Conway plant.

First of all, I have to say how disappointed I am at Hillingdon council’s lack of regard for both Hillingdon and Ealing council tax payers/residents. I have tried many times, over the past couple years to get through to someone in your Environmental Dept, and have failed every single time. Is there a valid reason for this?

Secondly, I must commend  A for her determination and leadership with regards to getting someone to pay attention to our plight. We have been suffering with these emissions for far too long and she has been a trooper for us, facing this uphill battle. I hope you pay her the respect she deserves and help us suffering residents and visitors find solution for this problem, in which we can finally get the cleaner air we are entitled to, but yet are being denied.

The problem with these emissions from the FM Conway plant is a serious one. The smell is awful and enters your home at various times of day and night; time is not an issue for them. I have been woken up in the early hours of the morning, having my sleep disturbed because I found it difficult to breathe, only to realise that it is the emissions from the plant, causing my discomfort. Even though I’ll then close my window, the damage is already done -the smell is in the room. I cannot open my window to let it out, as it does the contrary. So I have to suffer, sometimes unable to go back to sleep, until it subsides. In the Summer I have had to keep my windows closed for hours as the smell is too much to bear. Sometimes I have to endure it just so I can get some air through to house – smelly toxic air. Sometimes it just seems to be in one part of the house, but I guess that depends on which way the wind is blowing.

I have been living in my home for over 20 years, and am now considering moving away because of this smell. I do not want to leave my home. I am very happy here, but this smell is unbearable. Is that fair?

At times you drive into Southall, and the smell just hits you from out of nowhere. You cannot hide from it, whether inside a building, a vehicle or out in the open. Over this past weekend there were about 6 or 7 separate incidences, throughout the day and night where you could smell the fumes and hear a noise which sounds like it could be coming from the plant. How is that acceptable?

People want to go about their everyday lives without having to be feeling sick, having headaches or asthma attacks because a chemical plant, or whatever it is, has been allowed to work and emit these fumes into resdential areas. Who’s bright idea was it to allow this plant to be built on that site in the first place? Are checks not made? Are residents not taken into account?

This smell affects babies, children in school, people shopping in the supermarket, people walking the street, in parks, drivers, people working in nearby businesses. It is that widespread and needs to stop. It is unacceptable. It is horrid. It is dangerous. It affects you mentally and physically.

We have contacted Ealing Council many times, but they tell us their hands are tied; that the buck stops with Hillingdon. I thought Hillingdon was a caring borough…. There are many lovely areas within Hillingdon council, many with residents who would not put up with this smell, and who, we’re sure, would receive a much quicker, pro active response from Hillingdon should a matter like this arise. But the same positive actions are not accorded to us.

The fact is we are ALL tax and council tax payers. We ALL use the facilities, shops, schools etc, and are ALL entitled to clean air, reponsive councillors and contactable councils. We cannot understand why it is taking so long for this problem to be dealt with. All we get is worthless words and red tape – being told that FM Conway have raised their chimney, then are using this thing and that to keep whatever levels down. None of that works!!!!! We still have to deal with these toxic fumes on an almost daily basis.

If FM Conway cannot stop these fumes affecting the public the plant should be shut down and moved somewhere where there are no residents within a certain amount of miles.

I hope you will finally appreciate our plight and work swiftly in our favour.

Thank you for your time.

I’m confident that this resident echoes the experience of other residents in Old Southall. It’s not too late to lend your support to the petition.

Why IRATE Mustn’t Lose Momentum, To Hold FM Conway To Account

I am sharing with you the leader of Ealing Council’s response to the petition which appears in the published minutes of the full council meeting.
Councillor Bell responded
“I want to assure you we are taking this very very seriously and its impacts on local residents. It is a complex issue since the site is within Hillingdon’s Borough and the responsibility for enforcing the compliance with legislation is with Hillingdon Council. This has left us somewhat constrained by what we can do.

Residents are encouraged to raise their concerns in relation to this site directly with Hillingdon.

However, Ealing recognise their responsibilities to its residents and over the past 8 months Ealing Officers have continuously sought to liaise with Hillingdon Council about the site and in particularly in relation to a report commissioned by Hillingdon to review Conway’s compliance with their Environment Permit. Ealing’s attempts to communicate with Hillingdon were unfortunately met with no response.
I personally wrote to Hillingdon’s Leader, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, in Dec 17 seeking their position, as did our CEO Paul Najsarek and local MP Virendra Sharma.
In early February, we received communication from Hillingdon’s CEO advising that their consultant had completed their review and reported their findings. Hillingdon are analysing the contents of that report to establish if the site is or is not operating within its legislative restrictions and what actions can or should be taken by them.
Over the past few weeks Ealing Officers have made contact with Hillingdon offering technical assistance and communication to the public.
We are hopeful that we will know more about the content of the report and any intended outcomes and actions in the forthcoming weeks. I am hopeful that with this report that Hillingdon will feel able to take more forceful enforcement action.
In the meantime, I can only reiterate the need for residents to report concerns of odour from the site directly to Hillingdon’s Pollution Control Team.”

Just a reminder that if you live in Hillingdon, please contact your local councillors to keep the pressure on for the petition to be heard, as the campaign still haven’t been notified about the date for a hearing. You are also entitled to request a copy of the Independent Environment Consultant’s report under the Environment Information Regulations (EIR) 2004 by e-mailing residentsservicesfoi@hillingdon.gov.uk

As far as IRATE is concerned, Hillingdon’s position should not be “if” enforcement action is appropriate but “now”. It is unacceptable that residents and employees are suffering on a daily basis, so please continue to share the petition.

Leader of Ealing Council’s Reply To The Petition

I presented a short statement to the chair and councillors at the full council meeting on 20th February 2018 and handed over the petition.
Councillor Bell’s response is that he has had a full and frank discussion with Councillor Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon council. Hillingdon Council are in possession of the fully completed independent environmental consultant’s report and need to digest, dissect and analyse the report before deciding on how to proceed. Ealing council will provide technical support to Hillingdon council, if called upon to do so, and this also applies, if Hillingdon decide to take enforcement action.
Supporters of the campaign observing from the public gallery, felt that the councillor’s demeanor suggested that there may be content in the report, that would potentially support enforcement action. This wouldn’t surprise me based upon an Environmental Agency officer’s recommendations last summer. I have requested a copy of the report under the Environmental Regulations (EIR) 2004.
Councillor Bell stressed that residents and businesses should still continue to report odour episodes to both councils.
Hillingdon council:
Antisocial behaviour, noise complaints & racial harassment –
0800 694 020
Out of hours- Mon-Fri 6.00pm-8.00am & Weekends –
01895 250111
Ealing council
Noise Pollution Service –
020 8825 8111
Please don’t be deterred by no mention being made of odour pollution in the service titles. Clearly both councils seem to have overlooked that referencing noise pollution only, will probably lead to under reporting of odour nuisance complaints. If you are ringing Ealing out of hours, select no3 noise pollution. Please ensure for both councils that you get a reference number for your complaint.
Hillingdon council have yet to notify a date for a petition hearing, so if you live in Hillingdon, please get in touch with your local councillors for an update and keep the pressure on.
If you live in Old Southall, near the plant, you are probably aware that the odour has been particularly bad since 3.00pm yesterday afternoon and today. I arrived home around 8.15pm yesterday after the meeting and the whole area stank of tar!! I felt that I was enveloped by it as I exited my car! If you find it an irritant like I do, you are probably experiencing a burning sensation in your throat and chest. This for me is scandalous, so I will continue the momentum to drive the campaign forward.

FM Conway Site Visit On 2nd February 2018

A site based visit to FM Conway including the Southall Green ward councillors, Cllr Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council and Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing and Southall will take place on 2nd February 2018. I do not know at present, if John McDonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington and Dr Onkar Sahota GLA AM for Ealing and Hillingdon will be attending, although I understand that John McDonnell’s office was leading on the arrangements for the visit.
Ealing’s Pollution Technical team have been pressing their counterparts in Hillingdon for a copy of the independent consultant’s report (Hilllingdon engaged the consultant to inspect all the roadstone plants in June 2017) but as of yesterday this was not made available.
Although the EA does not regulate the site, one of their officers attended the site based meeting between FM Conway and pollution control officers from both boroughs in June 2017 and made recommendations. I have shared the Compliance Assessment Report with the Southall Green councillors and hope that this will aid their questioning whilst on the visit.
The campaign is still awaiting notification of the petition hearing date from Hillingdon council. Keep the pressure on and support the petition.

IRATE’s Voice Will Be Heard

One of FM Conway’s core values is;

Care
By caring, developing, encouraging and empowering our people, we support our customers and communities in achieving their goals, within a safe working and living environment.

Unfortunately for the residents of Southall and Hayes affected by FM Conway’s emissions, there is no evidence that the company is driven by achieving a safe living environment for communities or that there is evident commitment to this,  in the following excerpt, taken from their Social Impact of CSR Activity 1st April 15 – 31st March 16 report. “At FM Conway, we take Corporate Social Responsibility seriously and are committed to making a difference to our employees, clients and the communities in which we work.”

The company has made a difference, but not what could be construed as corporate social responsibility due to the negative impact that the pollution from the plant is causing to the health and well-being of local residents. They have failed to to ensure that the emissions to air are free from odour as required by their operating permit but the London Borough of Hillingdon is failing to live up to the strap line, proudly proclaimed on their website of  “putting our residents first.”

At the moment these seem like empty words, and will continue to be perceived in this way, unless an abatement notice is issued to force FM Conway to be compliant with all aspects of their operating permit.

IRATE submitted the petition to Ealing Council on 19th January 2018 and was notified that it will be heard at the Full Council meeting taking place on 20th February 2018.  This is our opportunity to impress upon the cabinet and councillors, the seriousness of the impact of pollution from FM Conway on the community and to state the case for the authority to use the powers conferred upon them by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

 

 

IRATE’s Voice At The Southall AGM

I attended the Southall AGM on 5th December, along with two other members of the IRATE campaign.  In the question and answer session Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council read out the following questions;

Question For Virendra Sharma
John McDonnell MP has publicly supported his constituents in 2015 and 2017 who are experiencing the impact of toxic emissions on their health and wellbeing. The same applies to many of your Southall constituents. What action can you take to influence Hillingdon Council to treat the emissions from FM Conway as a statutory nuisance and issue an abatement notice?

Question For Cllr Julian Bell
Since FM Conway opened in 2014, Southall residents have complained to both Hillingdon and Ealing Councils about the tar odour generated by the asphalt plant. Hillingdon appear reluctant to serve a section 80 EPA abatement notice but are not opposed to Ealing doing so. Why are Ealing also reluctant to treat the complaints received as evidence of a statutory nuisance and issue a section 80 notice, even if this means dual regulation is necessary?

In response to both questions, Julian Bell informed the audience that he will be visiting the plant along with Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing and Southall, John McDonnell MP for Hayes and Dr Onkar Sahota, GLA AM for Ealing and Hillingdon. He also said that he would be speaking to his counterpart, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, leader of Hillingdon Council.

These interventions are welcomed cautiously by the IRATE campaign, who took the opportunity to raise awareness of the petition and to connect with the audience’s hearts and minds about the health impacts of the toxic emissions, so we will not relent in our pressure for decisive action to control the emissions from FM Conway and ensuring that these are free from persistent odour. The health and wellbeing will be compromised and the Sport England funding, which was announced at the AGM, for a project to get the community fit and healthy in Southall will have negligible impact if the community continue to be exposed to harmful toxic emissions, PM2.5s and PM10s.

 

Local Businesses Feel The Impact Of FM Conway’s Emissions

On Friday 1st December, which was a windy day, the odour was extreme from FM Conway.  I knew it wasn’t going to be a good day, when I could smell tar in my car, early morning after returning home after the school run.  The distinct odour, made its way into my home through the trickle vent in the bathroom.

I called Ealing Council’s Noise Response Service and the person who I spoke to on the phone was familiar with the smell as it permeates the train that they travel to work on  from Reading but luckily for them, they only have to put up with temporary exposure. The Response Officer who visited my home, could smell bitumen and then left to triangulate the odour.

I left home shortly afterwards and headed for local businesses to discover if there was any awareness of the emissions from FM Conway.  The organisations that I spoke to were extremely familiar with the pungent odour.  One company spokesperson said that the odour enters the ventilation system and despite changing the filters, that this has made no difference.  Staff frequently complain about the smell and the impact on their health, to the extent that many have left work early due to sickness, attributed to the stench. Complaint reports, reached a peak during the summer months from the night time staff, as FM Conway were still in production at this time. I handed out leaflets containing details of the petition to put pressure on Hillingdon and Ealing Councils to issue an abatement notice to FM Conway.

There is significant evidence about occupational exposure to asphalt but the symptoms that local residents and employees report are the same as asphalt workers, so this needs to be treated as a public health issue.

It is clear that FM Conway’s impact is not only on local residents but on employers and their employees, who are bearing the cost of the impact to health and productivity.