AMERICAN biotech firm Thermo Fisher has launched an investigation following complaints about sulphur smells coming from its Basingstoke plant.

The company will be assessing how the smells caused by its work affects local people.

The Gazette wrote to the firm asking what action was being taken after the newspaper reported the a number of residents were ‘physically sick’ due to the stench.

A spokesman for the company said in light of recent events, it would be conducting a new ‘odour impact assessment’ to consider how their work was affecting people living in the neighbouring vicinity.

This report is expected to be completed by the end of March.

The news will be welcomed by residents and nearby workers who first raised the issue in August last year.

In a detailed response to the Gazette’s questions, a spokesman said: “Environment impact assessments were prepared as part of the original project to install the effluent plant in 2011.

“However, in light of recent events we are now conducting a new odour impact assessment with an external consultant in order to update our odour management plans.

“Once this has been completed, we will share our updated odour management plan with residents and workers. We expect to complete the odour impact assessment and corresponding odour management plan by the end of the first quarter of this year.”

The spokesman also said: "We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to residents and workers regarding the recent odour emission from our effluent treatment system on January13, 2020.

"We would like to assure the public that we take all such occurrences very seriously and are working hard on improvements to our effluent plant and our odour management systems to prevent future odour emissions from our site."

The Gazette asked whether the smell was caused by sulphur-based products.

The spokesman responded: "We do not store or make any sulphur-based products at our Wade Road plant. The sulphur smell is a by-product of the effluent treatment system processing our effluent waste."

The spokesman said the cause of the smell came from a 'loose filter'.

The four questions we asked Thermo Fisher after ‘sulphur smells’ left residents sick were:

1) We've received numerous reports from residents and workers in Basingstoke about smells coming from your Thermo Fisher plant on Wade Road. Please can you explain how this happened?

Thermo Fisher: We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to residents and workers regarding the recent odour emission from our Effluent Treatment system on 13 January 2020.

We would like to assure them that we take all such occurrences very seriously and are working hard on improvements to our effluent plant and our odour management systems to prevent future odour emissions from our site.

2) The general consensus is it is a sulphur-type smell. Can you confirm if you make, use or store any sulphur-based products for examples this?

Thermo Fisher: We do not store or make any sulphur-based products at our Wade Road plant. The

sulphur smell is a by-product of the effluent treatment system processing our

effluent waste.

3) Given the spread of the smell, do you hold any environmental impact assessments? If so, could you share these with us as a matter of public reassurance?

Thermo Fisher: Environmental impact assessments were prepared as part of the original project to install the effluent plant in 2011.

However, in light of recent events we are now conducting a new odour impact assessment with an external consultant in order to update our odour management plans.

Once this has been completed, we will share our updated odour management plan with residents and workers. We expect to complete the Odour impact Assessment and corresponding Odour management plan by the end of the first Quarter of this year.

4) What methods of fume extraction are you using? You mentioned before the use of filters. Are all of your waste exhausts filtered? If so, how often are your filters changed or serviced as this appears to be a frequent problem.

Thermo Fisher: The fumes from the treatment system are passed across a carbon filter pack before they are discharged to the atmosphere. These filters are replaced regularly in a planned maintenance schedule.

The recent incident was as a result of the filter coming loose from its housing, and not the condition of the filter itself.