A REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS THAT TRANSFORMS MANURE INT

A REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS THAT TRANSFORMS MANURE INTO FOWL FOOD IS

CAUSING AN UNEARTHLY STINK IN BROUGHTON POGGS.

THE HIGH COURT IN LONDON HEARD THAT RESIDENTS OF THE

OXFORDSHIRE VILLAGER ARE UP IN ARMS BECAUSE OF THE ‘MALODOROUS GASES’

THAT DRIFT OUT OF THE BERATEC LTD FEED MILL.

THE PROCESS REMOVES TOXIC ELEMENTS FROM FRESH MANURE AND TURNS

IT INTO TINY PELLETS OF CHICKEN FEED, THE COURT HEARD.

‘IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE,’ COMMENTED MR STEPHEN DESCH,

REPRESENTING THE COMPANY.

HE WENT ON TO ACCUSE VILLAGERS OF EXAGGERATING THE SMELL.

‘THEY’VE GOT A HEAD OF STEAM AND THAT’S CARRYING THEM ON,’ HE

SAID.

‘IF THEY GET A FARMYARD SMELL THEY THINK IT’S FAR WORSE THAN IT

IS.

‘INDEPENDENT PEOPLE GO THERE AND SAY THERE’S NO PROBLEM’ HE

CLAIMED.

BUT WEST OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL CLAIM THE SMELLS ARE A

PUBLIC NUISANCE AND A DANGER TO THE HEALTH OF VILLAGERS AT BROUGHTON

POGGS AND NEIGHBOURING FILKINS.

BERATEC, WHO BEGAN THEIR WONDER PROCESS TWO YEARS AGO, FACE

SEIZURE OF THEIR ASSETS IF THEY DO NOT BRING THE SMELL UNDER CONTROL.

THE COUNCIL IS APPLYING FOR AN ORDER PREVENTING THEM FROM CARRYING ON

TRADING UNTIL THEY COMPLY WITH A HEALTH NOTICE – AND FOR

SEQUESTRATION OF THEIR ASSETS FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.

ON FEBRUARY 7 LAST YEAR THE COUNCIL SERVED AN ABATEMENT NOTICE

UNDER THE 1936 PUBLIC HEALTH ACT ORDERING BERATEC, OF EARL STREET,

CITY OF LONDON, TO INSTAL A VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT WOULD FILTER THE

‘EXCESSIVE’ SMELL FROM THE MANURE.

BY APRIL 3 THIS YEAR THE THE WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AND WITNEY

MAGISTRATES ORDERED THEM THEM TO COMPLY WITH THE ABATEMENT NOTICE BY

JUNE 10.

MR ROBIN CAMPBELL, FOR THE COUNCIL, SAID THE VENTILATION SYSTEM

HAS STILL NOT BEEN INSTALLED.

GERMAN EXPERTS HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN AND CONVERSIONS WERE EXPECTED

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF OCTOBER ‘BUT THAT IS NOT GOING TO CURE

THE PROBLEM,’ HE ADDED.

MR DESCH TOLD THE COURT THE MANURE-TO-FEED PROCESS WAS ALREADY

WORKING SUCCESSFULLY IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD.

AND HE INSISTED

THAT THE WORK CURRENTLY BEING DONE WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEMS.

THE HEARING WAS ADJOURNED UNTIL AN UNSPECIFIED DATE LATER THIS

YEAR.

ENDS.