The Ministry of Education has opposed Tegel Foods Ltd’s resource consent application to replace its existing consents to discharge combustion products and odours into the air from its processing plant on Carmen Rd.
A consent is sought by the food processing company to cover the next 20 years.
In a submission to Environment Canterbury, the MoE raised concerns about the potential adverse effects on the quality of the air at Hornby High School and Hornby Primary School.
The schools are located on Waterloo Rd, about 350m to the south-west of the plant.
“The existing Tegel operation, which is in relative proximity to the schools, has resulted in the discharge of odour, which students and teachers at both schools have found offensive and unpleasant,” the submission read.
The MoE said the schools experience a “freezing works” odour that occurs three to four days a month and is particularly noticeable when there is a north-easterly wind.
“The schools report the effects of the odour include lowering the concentration levels of students, making teaching more difficult, increased incidents of asthma-related illness and in turn student absenteeism, and the need to close windows.”
ECan consulted property owners and occupiers within a 500m buffer zone from the plant's site boundary and received a total of 21 submissions.
Six submissions were in support of granting the consent, 11 were opposed and four were neutral.
A submission from Walmers Holding Ltd said it would support any modifications that will decrease off-site odour issues.
Trethewey Artisan Stone managing director Steve Kirk said Tegel should be able to keep operating but he is concerned the odour level is being misrepresented in its application.
“I don’t have confidence that the additional corrective steps committed will be sufficient to address them to a consistently less than minor level,” Mr Kirk said in his submission.
The MoE is also concerned the overall amenity of the schools will continue to be degraded.
It has asked for the application to be refused or for Tegel to provide clarification its proposed plans will not affect staff and students at the schools.
Tegel’s resource application states the changes proposed to its protein recovery plant and combustion boilers will result in mitigation of potential effects relating to air discharges.
It also plans to cover the wastewater tank to minimise stormwater egress into the trade waste system, which could cause capacity issues.
An ECan spokeswoman said a hearing on the resource consent application is due in May - but could be subject to change.
