The group who have been working on this issue posted an update to milton-chat on Thursday:

Is there really a problem?
In the last three months around 200 reports have been recorded on the Milton Air Quality Observation Log, or ‘Ponglog’ on http://tiny.cc/ponglog from over 50 different people. Since August, 2/3 of these incidents have also been reported to the Environment Agency (EA) Hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Thank you to everyone who has reported so far. Please continue to report smells when you detect them. These reports have provided the EA with more detailed evidence to direct their investigations. If you report odour incidents to the EA, you can request feedback. This means that once the problem has been investigated, the EA will contact you to explain what action they have taken to address the odour you reported.

Where are smells coming from?
The Ponglog data shows us that over the summer, 42% of the reports were made when the wind was from the west (W) but significant numbers of reports were made when the wind was from the NW (20%), SW (19%) and NE (13%). Only 5% of reports are being made when the wind is directly from the south (S).
What is becoming apparent, is that it is not just Milton that is suffering; residents of Impington, Waterbeach and Cottenham are all experiencing smells. If this is the case, it is even more important that we gather good quality data to support the licensing authorities to take enforcement action where necessary to reduce the incidence of odours. Since there are other potential sources of odour around Milton, we are trying to understand what contribution different sites might be making.

What is being done about it?
Since Milton residents work in the media it was perhaps to be expected that the Ponglog has been discussed in the news. Mindful of the interests of all Milton residents, including any about to sell houses, we have tried to keep the issue in proportion. Meantime we feel that it is only by enabling the licensing authorities to call the operators to account, that they will be required to improve their working procedures.

Hazel Smith, Anna Bradnam and Kay White visited the Milton Landfill site on 31 July and submitted a report to the EA officer responsible for the site and to the SCDC Operational Manager of Environmental Health & Licensing. All the operators we have approached have been very open, helpful and positive and they have expressed genuine concerns for the residents affected. They want, after all, to be working within the terms of their licences. If our data can help them pinpoint releases of odour, it is easier for them to investigate and find the causes.

Aware of summary data from the Ponglog, telephone reports to the EA Hotline and direct enquiries, the EA officer visited Milton and the Landfill site on 11 August and reported to us verbally. She initially found a number of potential sources of smell; one source was controlled within 24 hours and the operator has been required to provide an action plan to address another problem. The operator has 21 days to consider the EA inspector’s report, after which it will become a matter of public record.

We have met a number of the Landfill site staff, monitoring odour in the village and working hard to resolve these issues. The EA officers and site management staff have kept in touch and let us know that some of the improvements suggested were completed on 24 August. Although the wind has not been strictly westerly since then, it will be interesting to note if we experience fewer incidents when the wind is westerly from now on. The EA and site management are keen to know if their efforts have helped, so please keep calling and logging.

So what next?
Members of Milton and Waterbeach Parish Councils will be visiting the AmeyCespa Waterbeach Waste Management Park and the Milton Household Waste Recycling Centre on Monday 8 September. There are a few spare places on this trip so if you would like to join us, please contact Anna Bradnam on 01223 862364 or anna.bradnam@btinternet.com for details.

Meantime your councillors are regularly in touch with the officers at the EA and SCDC, seeking regular updates on their progress and residents are working hard to analyse the data so we can find out where the problem odours are coming from.

Anna Bradnam, Hazel Smith, Kay White and Emma Downie