Frustration brews over tea factory noise

ASHLEY residents, Richard Stewart and Darrell Richmond, recently voiced their frustration regarding the noise being produced by the Joekels tea factory on Suffert Street. The residents feel that the noise issue relating to the factory has not been resolved. Last year, the Highway Mail, with the help of Tim Brauteseth, the councillor for ward 18, managed to pinpoint the source of the so-called “mystery noise” that had plagued Ashley residents for months.

“Rad Gericke (the factory operations manager of Joekels) has been very accommodating and helpful, and we appreciate the fact that he has made attempts to relieve the issue, but we are still experiencing an annoying degree of noise,” said Stewart.

According to Richmond, the factory operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week. “We primarily hear the droning noise in the evenings and during the weekends when we are at home trying to relax, but the constant noise makes it nearly impossible,” said Richmond.

Gericke also expressed his frustration, as the factory had not only erected boards along the factory’s fence to minimise the noise, but also replaced an extractor fan that had been identified as the source of the mystery noise.

“Since we replaced the extractor fan we had not received any complaints. Stewart, Richard and other residents who had complained told us that they were happy with the reduced levels of noise after we replaced the fan,” said Gericke.

Gericke confirmed that the factory does operate 24/7 and insisted that they are legally able to do so. “Our premises is registered as an industrial area, and the biggest problem is that we are approximately 50m away from the residential area. Legally, the industrial noise limit is 70db by day and 60db by night, and residential noise limits are 55db by day and 45db by night. Our factory produces approximately 60db of noise,” said Gericke.

Gericke reported that a noise box will be placed over the dust extractor fan to further reduce the noise.