Dairy plant under investigation less than a year after being fined £1.5m
A dairy plant which makes products such as Cathedral City, Frylight and Clover, is under investigation over pollution complaints less than a year after its owner was fined more than £1.5m.
The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed there had been “multiple permit breaches” in 2022 and 2023 at the Davidstow plant in Cornwall.
The EA said it was “requiring the operator” to take steps to prevent any more.
Plant owner Saputo Dairy UK said further initiatives were under way to address the problems.
Saputo was fined £1.52m in June 2022 after admitting a series of pollution and odour charges.
A spokesperson for the EA said: “We have received and responded to a number of odour and noise complaints in 2022 and so far in 2023 from Davidstow Creamery waste-water processing facility, operated by Dairy Crest Limited (owned by Saputo Dairy UK).
“We have recorded multiple permit breaches for a variety of issues during that period including odour, noise and water quality and agree there have been unacceptable impacts from the site on local people and the environment.
“We are requiring the operator to take steps to prevent or minimise these impacts now and in future.
“In 2022, we prosecuted the operator for offending between 2016 and 2020, including for causing odour pollution, and we have ongoing investigations into offending from 2021 and 2022.
“We will continue to monitor off-site impacts from this facility against their environmental permit, assess and where necessary respond to reports of pollution, use our regulatory powers to ensure the operator delivers the planned improvements as quickly as possible, and keep the affected communities updated on these matters.
“The site has largely been compliant with water quality permit conditions over the previous seven months.
“We are, however, reviewing those conditions to ensure they adequately protect the River Inny.”
A Saputo spokesperson said: “We have undertaken a substantial programme of capital investment and operational improvements over the last four years at the Davidstow site.
“We are aware of a few neighbours still experiencing issues around odour and noise and further initiatives are underway to address this, which they are aware of.
“We work closely with the Environment Agency (EA) – sharing plans and regularly reporting progress. Furthermore, we hold regular three-way meetings with the EA and local residents to update them on progress and discuss any complaints.
“Davidstow residents are represented by the parish council, with whom we have a productive working relationship.
“We recommend speaking to them as they are best placed to speak on behalf of the broader community.”
