Waste plant blaze - 'close it down' call

The almost unanimous reaction followed the weekend's massive fire in the plant's pellet store.

Seventy-five firefighters from eleven different stations battled through Sunday to control the blaze.

More than 2,000 tonnes of pellets, derived from waste for burning, self-ignited in the massive store shed, sending plumes of black acrid smoke over the Pebsham residential area.

The last bank holiday of the year was ruined for most people on the estate as they were warned to go indoors and close all windows until smoke and fumes dissipated.

More seriously many residents experienced dry throats, coughs and sore eyes as the pall of smoke crossed East Bexhill.

Children, especially asthma sufferers, were bothered by the smoke and in at least one case a couple moved out for the weekend to avoid the fumes.

On Tuesday MP Greg Barker joined councillors, the town's mayor and residents to call for the plant's closure.

Mr Barker demanded a thorough independent investigation, saying the fire reinforced his determination to see the plant closed.

He condemned the fire as another intolerable imposition on the residents of Pebsham.

Ken Patterson, chairman of Pebsham Residents' Action Group, said: "The plant should be closed."

Leader of Rother District Council Graham Gubby said if there has been any breaches of regulations and licensing on the site then serious questions must be asked about the company's ability to manage the plant. He also called on more stringent controls and checks by the environment agency inspectors.

The Rother Council member living closest to the plant is Cllr Charles Clark. The Kinver Lane home of former Town Mayor and his wife, Maria, was enshrouded in smoke and fumes.

He said: "How ironic! It is the only way those pellets will get burned - because nobody wants to buy them...

"Sunday was very, very smoky and very acrid all day. We shut our windows because it was obvious that something was not right although we didn't immediately know what it was.

"I have had a lot of correspondence over the Reprotech plant. The frustrating thing is that as a Rother councillor I have no power over the issue. I don't get a vote on it because it's a county matter. I would be dishonest of me to tell people that I could sort it out.

"The problem is that you need 20 years or so to find out what the long-term health effects are of a thing like that."