A persistent foul odor has been affecting parts of Urk for months, attributed by the municipality and environmental service to a fish processing company. The business owner must implement measures to address the issue or face fines ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 euros.
Complaints, particularly from the industrial area in the village’s south, have amounted to approximately 70 in the past six months, with council inquiries raised in October. Residents report frequent smell of rotting fish, though some note slight improvements recently, a claim supported by the oversight body.
The odor, intensified by the wind, spreads beyond the immediate vicinity. The issue stems from the company’s underperforming water treatment system, leading to a malodorous sludge layer.
The company claims the problem is resolved, but the environmental service insists on further action to mitigate the smell.
Source: NOS