12:51 pm, April 10, 2025
A used car dealer says ‘nightmare’ levels of dust from a neighbouring chipboard production plant are causing chaos with his long-standing business.
Les Jewitt has been running Tyne Valley Car Sales in Hexham since 2006 but says that air pollution is now reaping havoc with his day-to-day activities.
The company’s site sits a short distance from a plant where furniture giant EGGER makes chipboard and Jewitt says the issue of dust has been getting worse and worse for the last 18 months.
He has now hit out at EGGER for ‘not cleaning their wagons properly’ which is leading to dust and wood shavings being spread throughout the community.
The situation has got so bad that Jewitt now finds himself cleaning his stock three times a week in a desperate bid to keep on top of the filth.
Tyne Valley Car Sales sits just 0.2 miles away from the EGGER site and the firm’s boss says the situation is now getting ‘beyond a joke’
‘I mean, there’s dust everywhere. I’ve just washed the cars for the third time this week.’ he told the Hexham Courant.
‘If I’m full, like I normally am, it’s the whole day – which is a lot out of my working week.
‘EGGER have got a massive yard down the back of the factory. I walk my dog down there, and there is just mountains and mountains of dust.
‘When the winds coming from the east, it is horrendous, but most of it is off the wagons coming out, because they’re not cleaned properly before they leave.’
‘I’ve got nothing against them as an employer. I realise that they’re very important to the local economy. But it’s just getting beyond a joke what I’ve got to put up with.’
In response to Jewitt’s claims, EGGER said that the site was subject to quarterly checks, with measures in place to ensure that dust is managed correctly.
Tom Nestfield, environmental and energy manager for EGGER, said: ‘EGGER is committed to environmental protection.
‘Our environmental permit includes conditions such as dust management.
‘The site is subject to quarterly inspections by Northumberland County Council to ensure compliance with permit requirements, and reports annually a dust improvement and management plan.
‘The site’s Environmental Management System recently underwent a surveillance audit against the benchmark standard, in which no non-conformities were identified.
‘We will always listen to concerns of the local community and endeavour to address these in a positive and timely manner.’
