Residents complain about French Bonduelle factory
Technical measures were carried out in 2012 and 2013 by a consultancy firm authorised by Soléal at the request of the Dreal (Regional directorate for Environment and Housing) which show that noise level restrictions are systematically broken 24/7. ''In one of them, we are at 21 despite the restriction being 3'' insists Armel Dupouy, President of the Association.
''None of us want the factory to be shut down, we are just asking for operating standards to be respected'', continues the spokesman. In an area where a top of the range biogas plant will soon be announced (expected to take in 100,000 tons of waste and 30,000 tons of manure), they will no longer stay silent. They also want the justice system to recognise that ''the odours are the most difficult to measure, but are also the most difficult to live with. During the whole season, i.e. from beginning of June to mid-October, it smells so bad that we can't go out into our gardens'' says Armel Dupouy.
It is not the first time that the courts have been involved - a few months after Bonduelle was set up a court judgement took place in 1996 (confirmed in 2000) which the residents won concerning noise and odour. The President of the Association says that it calmed down afterwards but over the last few years it has become impossible to live with, according to him ''certain machines probably aren't in a perfect working state'' and the norms have probably developed. But mainly, the activity has hugely increased and the machines may not be up to it.
Residents expect compensation (€20,000 is being demanded per family- which will obviously be taxed).