RWE’s biomass plant outside Markinch is one of the biggest of its kind in the UK.
The combined heat and power plant has an installed capacity of 55MW.
That is enough to power 100,000 homes.
Opened in 2014, it remained operational when the attached Tullis Russell paper mill closed in 2015 with a loss of more than 400 jobs.
It was at the heart of regeneration efforts led at the time by the multi-agency Fife Taskforce.
The plant’s link with the surrounding community is key to its history and crucial to its continuing success.
That is why it is concerning to learn that Sepa investigators found evidence of “non compliance” with rules governing dust emission during a recent inspection.
The most recent research into particulate matter – in this case wood dust – in the air is concerning.
Evidence increasingly links it to a range of harms.
People in Markinch have been left washing thick dust off their house and car windows.
Although Sepa has not confirmed the dust came from the plant, the company’s admission that the recent hot weather contributed to the problem is also alarming.
This should not have been allowed to happen.
Plant owner RWE recently moved to tackle residents’ concerns about noise from the industrial site.
The firm said it is “a proud member of the local community”.
RWE should treat the wood dust issue with equal if not more urgent attention if they wish to continue to be considered as such.
Conversation