Published date: 2 August 2019

Resolving the smell from Hornsey Street Recycling Centre

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) is investigating the smell along Eden Grove and George’s Road in the London borough of Islington and how best to eliminate it. The unpleasant odour that has been reported in the area is originating from the Hornsey Street waste transfer facility, reuse and recycling centre and transport operations associated with waste collection activities. The waste transported to the facility includes separately collected food and garden waste, which make an important contribution to north London’s overall recycling rate, and also residual waste, which contains food too.
 
NLWA is aware of the problem and is working with the London borough of Islington and the other north London boroughs to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the problem has also been made worse by the recent spell of exceptionally hot weather.
 
In terms of the facility itself, in partnership with LB Islington, NLWA is undertaking a review of the building and the equipment used to see what further action could be taken to help manage the odour. New ‘neutralising agents’ have been introduced as part of a temporary odour management system that breaks down odours – to work alongside the existing air filtration system which filters the air in the building. Together these systems will help eliminate the impact of odour on local residents using the reuse and recycling centre at the site. Once the assessment report from the review is completed, a replacement permanent odour management system will be chosen and installed.
 
The Authority has also arranged for more regular and thorough cleaning of the site, and of equipment and bins to reduce odour caused by traces of old waste. Part of the odour problem in the surrounding area is caused by traces of old waste that have accumulated in the vehicles used to transport waste to the site. NLWA is working collaboratively with all the north London boroughs to arrange for vehicles to be cleaned more regularly to help eliminate this element of the problem.
 
NLWA is taking this issue seriously and working to address it. Regular progress updates are being made available on London Borough of Islington’s website, on a dedicated webpage.
 
There is also more information available in the FAQs section of that webpage, however, if you have any more queries, concerns, comments or suggestions, or would like to be kept up to date on progress, please email or call Contact Islington on 020 7527 2000.

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