The decision of the regional authority establishes new measures to intervene on the foundry’s operation against the odours produced by the processing. The smells have been the subject of complaints from residents of the southeastern part of Brno for more than a year. Photo credit: Freepik
Brno, July 15 (BD) – The regional authority reviewed operating conditions last year and found the smelter to be a source of foul odours. Therefore, it initiated administrative proceedings in October 2021 that ended with a decision, issued on 28 April 2022, to modify the integrated permit for the operation of Heunisch Brno Foundry s.r.o. The company immediately filed an appeal, but this week the decision, supported by the Ministry of the Environment, will finally take effect on the operation of the foundry.
The administrative proceedings had determined that the smelter’s activities had created a long-term nuisance, which had led to continuous complaints from residents in the surrounding area, and that the operator had not taken technical measures to eliminate odour pollution. The testimonies and evidence of odour pollution were collected and presented by the regional authority with all the necessary documents to be able to decide on the matter.
The decision was made after a request to the operator to submit an odour study and a proposed technical solution to reduce emissions by 31 August, 2022. The authority recently set a strict limit for emissions of the volatile substances that cause the odour. The company must reduce this by using products and raw materials with lower organic content or ensuring the replacement of those causing odour problems.
Regulated measures for the new smelter processing method tighten the frequency of emission measurements, set binding deadlines for the completion of technology changes, and add the requirement to structurally enclose production areas so that the ventilation system works properly. All new obligations and operating conditions must be implemented in stages as soon as possible. Tests and measurements will follow so that, by May 1, 2023 at the latest, odours will not bother residents of residential areas in the southeastern part of Brno (around Líšná, Vinohrady, Slatina).
