Council investigating 'toxic' smell lingering over Burton Latimer

The smell of burning plastic has lingered in the air and worsened since Christmas, according to the resident.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said just by opening his door it made his house smell.

He said: “It’s acrid. It makes your eyes go watery and your throat hurt.

“I know it’s not normal. It stinks and I’ve not smelt anything like it.

“We opened our door momentarily and it still stank half an hour later.

The resident fears it may be coming from Blackbridge Farm, which saw two major blazes in two months in 2011.

He added: “My fear is that people will ingest what is around them. There’s a lot of children here and people don’t know where this smell is coming from.

“I do not want people around here to have a situation where they do not know it is toxic.

“It might be coming from Blackbridge Farm but I may be wrong about that.

“But there is a smell and it’s toxic.

“It smells just like the smell that emanated from the fire [in 2011].

“It stinks of burning plastic.”

Think Environmental, the company in charge of waste management when the previous fires broke out, went into liquidation in June 2014 having been fined £33,000 in 2012.

Now Kettering Council is investigating where the smell is coming from and what operations are ongoing at Blackbridge Farm.

A Kettering Council spokesman said: “We can confirm that, to date, Kettering Council has received one complaint regarding this matter, which is under investigation at the moment to establish where the odour is coming from.

“The council is also seeking information from the Environment Agency as to what operations they may have permitted at Blackbridge Farm, and whether there has been any relevant breach.

“Anyone with health concerns, which they believe are connected to the odour, should see their GP.”

Residents with any concerns can ring Kettering Council on 01536 410333.