Steaming piles of rotting garden waste leaving Kettering businesses ‘plagued’ with flies and rats

Organic green waste matter collected from the borough’s bins is taken to the Kettering Borough Council-owned depot before it is trucked away for composting.

But people working nearby say that they have seen rats in the area and their string of complaints to Kettering Council have not been acted on. They have now called in the Envrionment Agency in to try to get the problem solved once and for all.

One fed-up worker said that several business who have phone the Northants Telegraph had been assured last year that no more waste collections would take place during office hours, but that promise has not been kept.

”This problem has caused huge smell and rodent issues - the rats are huge - and will continue to do so until the waste matter is finally resolved,” he said.

”The smell is particularly bad when it hasn’t been warm and damp. You can see rats running across the grass heap.

”Visitors have complained about the smell and we are plagued with flies.

“All our office doors are closed to keep the smell confined to communal spaces only. We have air fresheners everywhere but they’re just not strong enough.”

The problem has been ongoing for at least two years.

Kettering Borough Council’s Head of Environmental Care Brendan Coleman said that there is a section two exemption certificate in place to allow the authority to store waste temporarily at the site before it is taken away to be properly disposed of.

He added: “Kettering Borough Council currently operate out of our Robinson Way depot. Part of our operation includes an are of land where grass and hedge cuttings are unloaded prior to its transportation to fully licenced processing facilities, for composting.

“Only garden waste materials are off loaded at Robinson Way, we do not store any general waste at this site. The current arrangements are in place whilst alternative processing sites, for the material are identified.

“The Council are aware of some complaints of odour issues raised with the Environment Agency and are currently working to relocate the material direct into licenced facilities, by 31st of August.”