A W Duncombe & Son pleaded guilty to breaching an Abatement Notice served by South Northamptonshire Council under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Northampton magistrates ordered the business, based at Helmdon, to pay a £12,000 fine, £4,218 costs and £1,000 compensation to each of the six people who complained about the pollution.
The court heard that South Northamptonshire Council’s environmental protection team received complaints about smoke and odours coming from the biomass boiler. Investigations led to the serving of an abatement notice
prohibiting further nuisance after December 8 last year but subsequent complaints were received.
A new investigation by environmental protection officers concluded the Abatement Notice was being breached, leading to prosecution.
Cllr Dermot Bambridge pictured, the council portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “There is nothing more important than the air we breathe and while legal action is always a last resort we had no option but to take firm action in this case.”
