From Keith Shaw.
LIKE many other St Helier residents, I was saddened but not at all surprised that the recent efforts by Mr Crowcroft to get action taken over the public nuisance caused by the green waste composting site had no measurable effect.

The previous injunction he took out did not work either. The odour is just one indication that airborne spores and particles are reaching residents a considerable distance from where they are being created. Is this an example of where one department is reluctant or unable to act professionally against another?

• Why is Health Minister Ben Shenton not investigating the history of this site and other previous serious nuisance and pollution problems?
• Why is Transport Minister Guy de Faye apparently ignoring this issue after allegedly belittling the serious family health concerns of residents?
• Why is the Medical Officer of Health apparently not taking any interest in this case?
• Why are the Health Protection team apparently unable to act to protect the health concerns of residents? Have they spoken to them and their doctors? One resident was allegedly advised by Health Protection to wear a mask in her garden.

The JEP report said that Health Protection and Transport staff were working together, trying to find out where the odour was coming from. Have they not looked somewhere near where Transport locate their large canisters of neutralising scents and electric fans?

Many people were surprised that Health Protection originally gave permission for the present green waste composting site’s location, when they knew that it was being located against guidelines provided by the UK Environmental Agency – especially as Transport and its predecessors had such a potentially poor record of waste handling (including the mass burn municipal waste incinerator at Bellozanne).

People have speculated that the location was more a political decision as opposed to a technically sound one.
Mr Crowcroft is not alone in believing that the continued operation of the green waste composting site constitutes a serious public nuisance.

The Health Protection team should serve notice on its further operation, especially as it is a non-essential activity.
Cleveland House,
Cleveland Road,
St Helier.