Affco seeks odour consent renewal for its Whanganui meat processing plant

Affco has applied for a 25-year resource consent to discharge odour and contaminants to air. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Affco has flagged plans for a new onsite wastewater treatment plant at its Imlay meat processing facility.

But Affco plant manager Troy Lambly says it is a provision only and the company is no closer to deciding whether it will be part of the new municipal scheme or if it will be build its own plant capable of fully treating its wastewater.

The company has applied for a 25-year renewal of a resource consent to discharge contaminants and odour to air related to its Imlay meat processing plant.

The current consent expires on July 31.

"Affco plans to either continue with the current arrangement and discharge screened wastewater into the municipal system, or will otherwise install its own onsite treatment plant and discharge treated wastewater . . . to ocean," the application to Horizons Regional Council says.

A new WWTP would require further consents and Mr Lambly said it was including it in this current application in the event they decide to go ahead with building their own.

He said Affco was still in direct talks with council about trade waste fees and it would need to wait until the council's new trade waste bylaw is developed to make a decision.

The new bylaw is due to be drafted and consulted on later this year and be implemented in late 2017 before the new plant is commissioned.

Affco says odour beyond its premises, the major factor in the consent application, is expected to be "no more than minor" with the odour management procedures it has proposed.

It said no longer having fellmongery operation and the associated discharges to wastewater "has significantly reduced the potential for odour discharges".

"We've done quite a bit of remedial work on the plant (to reduce odour)," Mr Lambly said.

Records show it received 36 odour complaints in 2014/15 year to June.

Horizons issued an abatement notice to cease causing objectionable odour and this remains in place.

There were eight complaints the following year (six substantiated) but the application said there had been none since.

Mr Lambly said Affco has done some initial consultation with neighbouring residents.

Affco says it contributes at least $10 million to the local area in terms of labour and contractors onsite.

Public submissions on the consent application are open until June 23.

A copy of the consent application can be viewed at www.horizons.govt.nz/managing-natural-resources/consents/affco-nz-limited-whanganui