Eggerwatch

Welcome to Eggerwatch

The aim of the Eggerwatch website is to share experience and knowledge between communities with an Egger timber-processing factory. The site supports the efforts of local residents, planners and environmental regulators in all the many countries where Egger operate. Eggerwatch may also be useful to communities with timber processing plants owned by other operators.

Follow this link to find out more about the purpose of this web site and to understand why we would welcome your participation.

On the left of this page you’ll see a heading “Topics for your comments” and a pop-menu below it. The topics focus on issues affecting local residents. Our objective is to record incidents and experiences as they occur. The growing collection of comments will form a unique record of the situation. Please take care to record your comments in the appropriate category. Your contribution can be anonymous. Be aware that the comments are monitored and any inappropriate, offensive or libellous content will be removed.

At the very top of the page and on the right hand side is a menu headed “Pages” of information pages on the web site. Keep an eye on the menu because we’ll be adding interesting topics soon.

Hexham Noise Summary – January 2010

In spite of the heavy covering of snow over the first few weeks of the month, the noise from Egger’s log loading processes has by no means been any less noticable. You might have thought that the snow would have muffled the noise to some extent, but this has certainly not been the case. Last weekend, in particular, was noticably noisy, with continuous rumbling and knocking of logs as they fall about in the conveyor. Once again the ‘vortex noise’ has been prominent after a short respite.

Interesting observations:

The huge stockpiles of roundlogs have been significantly reduced over the last 4 – 6 weeks and vast areas of asphalt are once again visible in the yards.
For a short time last night and today (maybe 10 hours or so) the WESP has been out of action (27 Jan 2010).

Recent letters about Egger in the Courant

Dr Ann Pickering’s letter to the local paper (25 November 2009) aroused a ripple of support and a torrent of objection for her views over the following weeks. Dr Pickering claims that noise intrusion is a small price to pay in return for a thriving business on our doorstep. She suggests that those who don’t like it should leave the area and makes the absurd observation that her house is not only double glazed, but is also protected from the noise by the houses of those who are affected! As those who responded to her letter observe, she fails completely to recognise the issues here and simply opposes the popularist NIMBY bandwagon (which doesn’t apply here!). EggerWatch knows full well that Egger contributes to the local economy at some level and is generally considered to be a successful international company. There is no argument with that. Nor is there any suggestion that Egger should pack up and go away. Egger is an accepted and established fact of life in Hexham. The problem is that by failing to comply with the statutory requirements of the Permit to Operate issued by the local authority, they continue to cause a nuisance to residents of properties nearby. One of EggerWatch’s objectives is to encourage Egger to become good neighbours, to communicate effectively and honestly with residents and to comply with the conditions laid down in law.

Here’s a round up of the original letter and the responses.

Egger noise is small price for ‘real’ economy
Thursday, 24 December 2009
AS a resident of Oakwood since 1973 I feel, that if I was the person in charge of enforcing the planning and environmental protection agreements made years ago with Egger, I would be getting heartily fed up with some 40 or so residents of Oakwood regularly telling me how to do my job.
Industrial history: The Egger plant in Hexham stands on the site of what has been an industrial estate since the Second World War.
It is well known that noise travels up that bank, due to its shape, which can’t be altered. This became evident in 1976 when the dual carriage way was opened, encouraging commuting from Hexham to Newcastle for work. The noise from the road has increased ever since.
The noise from Egger can be heard chiefly by the householders on the row overlooking Egger when the wind is from the south.
I live behind that row, just over the brow of the hill, and I have double glazing. I sometimes hear Egger if I am gardening and the wind is from the south.
If you choose to live next to an industrial estate, and it is a choice, you must expect some noise. If the industries are a success you must expect them to expand.
The parish of (now) Anick and Sandhoe has had this industrial estate or the industries since before the last war (1939-45) not the Iraq War.
In Britain our economy no longer has much of a manufacturing base. The economy is heavily reliant on the financial market, which is silent, except for some very great crashes.
Let us be glad that we have some thriving, real economy in Hexham and be proud of one which helps preserve tropical rain forest – a vital environmental impact.
DR A.T. PICKERING,
Oakwood

Egger’s moral imperative to act
Friday, 08 January 2010
OBSCURED by her use of hyperbole and sarcasm, Dr Pickering repeats an assumption that a number of concerned residents of Anick and Oakwood are out to get rid of Egger (Courant Letters, December 25).This is not so. Our concern is one of responsibility.We are calling on Egger to take responsibility for adhering to the conditions of its planning permission, and to the unitary council to exercise the authority and influence invested in it by democratic process to ensure Egger’s responsibility assumption.The matter is quite simple – rules and regulations are created to be upheld.A child who is instructed in the necessary boundaries for social living, and who is repeatedly told ‘If you do that again then this will happen’ and the consequences do not materialise, will not respect authority, and will behave accordingly.Rather than fall into the patterns of blame and/or victimhood that our culture seems to celebrate, we are choosing to take individual and collective responsibility for addressing the continuous flouting of sound levels by Egger.Both Egger and the council are in positions of power – excercising that power involves a moral imperative that has thus far been largely absent on Egger’s part.Rather it has occupied the position of the bully, ignoring the consequences of its actions, and its impact on the environment.It seems odd to come under attack for such a stance.
CLARE LINDSAY,
Anick

Noise levels
Friday, 08 January 2010
DR Pickering’s support for Egger is well known, (Courant Letters, December 25) and some of her points are well made. However, she fudges the main issue; namely the amount of noise which the factory makes.We, who continue to press for enforcement against Egger, ask that it operates within the law like any other organisation, large or small.Dr Pickering’s suggestion that exceptions should be made on economic grounds is dangerous.We have witnessed too many examples of what happens when principle is sacrificed to economic desire.We prefer to adhere to the law and are encouraged that those in charge of enforcement think likewise and are continuing to press for Egger to show best available technology and come up with remedies which will bring its operations within permitted noise limits.
DR JOHN HALLIDAY,
Anick

Disturbance
Friday, 08 January 2010
ANN Pickering completely misses the point (Courant Letters, December 25) complaining that residents are making life difficult for local authority enforcement officers.The officer in charge of this particular non-compliance case regularly seeks the views of residents who are affected by noise from Egger’s log-handling process.Much of the evidence supporting the action he is now taking is the result of local people monitoring the levels of disturbance at his specific request.By speaking to some or all of the residents whose lives have been severely affected by Egger’s activities she would discover that prior to the new plant being built there was little or no disturbance from the old factory. She would discover that those whose lives are now blighted, were residents of the parish well before Egger was permitted to relocate their plant closer to Oakwood.Residents of Oakwood and Anick alerted the council to potential noise problems and the council chose not to listen.Residents acknowledge that this family run, European company with its headquarters in Austria, makes some contribution to the local economy and provides some local employment.What the 40 or so residents would like, however, is for Egger to behave as a good neighbour and at least comply with the planning and operating conditions.Ann Pickering should be thankful that her house is sheltered from the noise and might perhaps consider offering some sympathy to those who live in the houses that provide her shelter.
PETER RODGER,
Anick

Added Value
Friday, 22 January 2010
I WRITE in support of Dr Pickering’s comments regarding the Egger factory in Hexham (Courant, Letters, December 25).A couple of years ago I was invited to look round the plant, and was impressed by the company’s concern for the environment, by the quality of the manufacturing equipment employed in the factory, and by the very efficient use of the raw material, wood.The added value achieved by Egger and the company’s contribution to the economy of the area are remarkable.Dr Pickering is right. We need more of such enterprises in Britain to rebalance the national economy, and to reduce our dependence on the financial sector.
WALTER HEPWORTH,
Garrigill

Blighted
Friday, 22 January 2010
I HAVE never heard such sychophantic twaddle! (Courant Letters, December 25). Egger is an abomination – a blot on the landscape.It is like the Ruhr Valley down there and it should never have been allowed to expand.The truth is that the decision, plus allowing Tesco in and various other bad decisions made by senior members of Tynedale Council who were paid huge salaries for making these wrong decisions, has had a seriously detrimental effect on the local economy.The local economy is on its knees as a result of many wrong decisions and we are left with the legacy. There are, it seems to me, too many esoteric groups feathering their own nests.An historic market town like Hexham with Iceland as a central retail outlet, coupled with this cold snap, suggests our assets and our appendages are frozen.The way forward I believe, is tourism.What is needed is strong leadership to make the right decisions. You will not, I suspect, get this from our prospective parliamentary candidates.It grieves me sorely when I see the potential of this beautiful market town, in arguably the most beautiful area of the country, not being realised. I love this area but it is being blighted by a short-sighted minority.Yet I always have hope.
COLIN MOSS,
Hexham

Whoops! Egger defender scores own goal!

Egger did receive some support at Christmas, albeit misguided, in a letter from an Oakwood resident to the Hexham Courant (25 December 2009). The writer claimed that the views of 40 or so residents, (those who have been severely affected by Egger’s reluctance to comply properly with the Permit to Operate), were of no value and that we should all be glad to have Egger on our doorstep.

Naturally, this caused a great deal of indignation amongst residents and at least 3 of them responded through the Courant’s letter columns (8 January 2010). The tone and content of the responses may not have been to Egger’s liking.

Hexham Noise Summary - Christmas - New Year period 2009

In spite of the intense cold and the heavy blanket of snow, Egger continued to generate offensive and intrusive noise from the log handling activities, in particular, over the holiday period. I seem to recall a time when the factory would shut down for Christmas Day – it seemed to be the only day in the year when it did. No such respite this year though.

Egger Hexham and Parish Council Liaison Group 22 October 2009

At the meeting of Sandhoe Parish Council on 10 December report was made on the most recent meeting of the Parish Council’s Liaison Group with Egger. (The Egger Hexham factory is sited outside Hexham within the boundaries of the mainly rural Sandhoe Parish.)

The report states that “remedying of excessive noise” is being urgently pursued in discussion with Northumberland Council. The public are encouraged to contact Nick Barrett at Northumberland Council in Hexham for further information and to telephone the factory gatehouse “if there is sudden and unacceptable noise out of hours”.

Egger also reported that the supply of wood chips has reduced due to the recession and growing use as a biofuel, thus driving up the cost and causing Egger to use more whole timber which requires chipping on site.

The notes of this meeting can be found at the Parish Council website

http://www.sandhoe.info/SPCLiaise6.htm

Northumberland Council Enforcement Action on Egger Noise

We understand that in November the Council sent Egger a letter saying that they are “minded to serve” a formal notice of ‘requirement to improve’ because Egger are not using best available technology to control noise from log-loading and chipping machinery and the machinery is too noisy. There followed a meeting at which the appropriate noise containment measures were discussed. Egger submitted some proposals falling short of full containment and these are under further discussion. In the meantime the noisy machinery continues to be operated only between 7 am and 9 pm.

Hexham Noise Summary 16 Oct - 22 Nov

Over a period of five weeks, there was troublesome noise on 28 out of 38 days from the Egger factory during permitted operating hours for the most noisy machines (7 am to 9 pm) . Seven of the noise-free days occurred during a single period, 20-27 October, when unusually there were almost no SW winds.

Observations show that the presence or absence of noise correlates with wind strength and direction. Noise from Egger’s log-loading and chipping operations coincides with moderate winds from SW or still conditions. Unfortunately moderate SW winds predominate and typically occur on 75% to 90% of days.

There is clear evidence of the need for further steps to be taken to reduce the noise emitted at source.

There is plenty of capability for noise reduction given that both the main sources of noise – the Holtec and the flaker – are currently sited in the open air on the NE corner of the factory site.

Until effective steps are taken it is essential that night-time operation of these machines continues to be forbidden.

Hexham Noise Fri 20 – Sun 22 Nov

Log-loading and whirring noise was present throughout Friday and then intermittently on Saturday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday evening. These times, as usual, coincided with SW winds (9-19 knots).

Hexham Noise Mon 16 – Thu 19 Nov

Whirring and crashing during operating hours on Monday evening, all day Tuesday and intermittently on Wednesday, coinciding with brisk SW wind (11-14 knots), which predominated. No observations Thursday, but strong winds (20-27 knots) may have covered any factory noise.

Hexham Noise Thu 12 – Sun 15 Nov

A noisy period with little respite throughout operating hours 07:00 to 21:00 each day. Crashing and whirring apparent despite moderate winds from S or SE on Thursday evening, Friday evening, early Sunday and most of Saturday. On Friday morning and Sunday afternoon winds were mostly from SW. Damp or raining most of the time.

Eggerwatch

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