ARNHEM / RENKUM / HEELSUM – The unpleasant odor that residents of Heelsum and Renkum experience from the Parenco paper mill is “healthy undesirable”. This is the conclusion of GGD after extensive research on smell.
Residents of Rinkum and Hilsum have been complaining for years about the bad smell of the Smurfit Kappa Parenco paper mill. Since the factory started its second paper machine five years ago, the number of complaints has only increased.
raining notifications
Despite various measures taken by the management to control the smell emanating from the chimneys, reports of nuisance are still falling. As a result, Gelderland County decided to conduct an extensive study on bad odors.
GGD, the Arnhem Region Environment Service (ODRA) and Parenco themselves conducted investigations in 2020. GGD did this with a questionnaire and scent application. The survey shows that 32 percent of the participating residents of Rincom and Hillsum have experienced severe odor discomfort in the past year. This is a nuisance of more than 10 percent of odors, which the GGD’s Guide to Smell and Health refers to as the threshold for good health.
up to km
In the smell application, participants could indicate when they experienced an odor nuisance and the source of that nuisance. If the most annoying odors are present, the participants immediately point to the paper factory. The second conclusion is that, depending on the strength of the wind, the stench can be smelled up to 1 km from Barenko.
The survey also shows that 40 percent of respondents have health complaints associated with the Parenco scent. GGD notes that participants are not fully represented. But the results indicate a dangerous unpleasant odor in the two villages adjacent to the plant site. This is why the service considers the inconvenience caused by Parenco undesirable from a health point of view.
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