Kaura Coproducts -the company dedicated to the production of fats and proteins for pet food and aquaculture, next to the A-66 and to which, on numerous occasions, complaints have been directed about the bad odors that reach surrounding populations- has presented a fifth study to the Board, carried out by an external company, in which it is concluded that it meets the legal limits and is not responsible for these stench episodes in the area.
In this sense, the industry recalls in a statement that there are at least half a dozen more facilities in the area – from landfills to other factories of the same specialization – that also produce odors and to which this extra requirement of presenting a certificate has not been applied. study every two years, although he hopes that the Ministry of Agriculture and Sustainable Development begins to do so.
“In this way, the residents and their mayors will definitely know where the inconvenience they sometimes suffer can come from, and which Kaura regrets as they do, since it affects its credibility and reputation as an international company due to ignorance of some opinions.”
In its note, the company stresses that, despite this, it has installed a“leading technology in Europe” that prevents odorous emissions in its factory . The machinery, in addition to the existing one, goes far beyond the legal requirements, which includes the Integrated Environmental Authorization (AAI), granted by the Board in 2010.
This is the one that also includes the aforementioned obligation to carry out and present, each two years, a study with an independent entity to certify that it meets the limits set. According to the company, all those who have presented themselves in the last ten years have not collected any incidence.
In any case, he considers that with the new technology “a definitive step is taken to avoid any possible inconvenience to the surrounding populations”, which are at least 6 kilometers away.
On the fifth study already delivered to the Ministry of Agriculture and Sustainable Development, Kaura Coproducts, one of the leading companies in its sector in Spain, insists that “it ratifies compliance with the regulations and gives confidence to the municipalities of the region” .
Olfactometric study
“That is, the phenomena of bad odors that occur on occasions in towns such as La Algaba are of unknown origin due to lack of studies. The only thing officially confirmed after five technical analyzes is that Kaura does not generate incidents that affect the towns close, and meets the legal requirements and others that it demands itself. This is proven by the absolute absence of files or sanctions, “he reiterates in his statement.
In this way, Kaura does not “absolutely” exceed the limit allowed by the Board in the AAI: 2% of the annual hours above 3 odor units (uo). In fact, it is up to three times below this limit.
This is confirmed by the so-called olfactometric study officially delivered to the Board a few weeks ago. It has been carried out by an independent auditing company, SGS Tecnos . I use five measuring devices: vacuum capture probes, Nalophan bags, dilutor, Lindvall box and bell, according to the description made by the company.
In addition, the odor measurement was performed with dynamic dilution equipment. It consists of providing members of a panel (there is no substitute device for the human nose), a mixture of odorous gas and odorless gas at different levels of dilution and evaluating their response.
Panelists receive neutral air samples interspersed between each gas sample to prevent olfactory fatigue. Additionally, neutral air samples are presented randomly to avoid mechanical responses. The SGS Tecnos Olfactometric Laboratory is accredited by ENAC (Accreditation nº5/LE2517).
The study covered an area of 10 by 10 kilometers, with the Kaura factory in the center. According to the companies, the urban centers with possible greater affection, Gerena and La Alondra (Salteras urbanization), would not reach the level of 1 odor unit, three times less than the limit required by the Integrated Environmental Authorization, and that in the case of that some incidence occurred , “something very unusual in the production process of Kaura”, according to what is insisted.
The SGS study reveals that if Kaura turned off its odor control systems, nearby populations would not reach 3 odor units either. In this theoretical assumption, the atmospheric influence of the factory reaches a greater distance, obviously, and the 3 uo extend up to 4 kilometers from Kaura, an area also without population centers.
Essential business during the state of alarm
In the statement, Kaura insists that it is considered an “essential food company since it is necessary to guarantee the operation of the meat industries, which is why it has been working 100% during the confinement caused by Covid-19 with full guarantees of health for its workers.
Kaura Coproducts maintains its commitment to abort any possible incidence. And that of hiring its staff, currently about 150 people, in the surrounding towns.
