The story behind the Ngodwana smell
Ngodwana Mill has taken its lime kiln offline for maintenance work.
The shutdown of the kiln has, unfortunately, resulted in an unpleasant odour, which can be a nuisance to some people, as the mill is unable to counteract the odour that results from cooking wood chips during the production process. The odour is like that of boiling cabbage.
Although it does not pose a health hazard, it can be unpleasant, especially for pregnant women, who usually have a heightened sense of smell. The kiln will be started up again on Sunday, May 17.
For the maintenance period and during start-up, the mill will be temporarily venting LowVolume, High-Concentration (LVHC) gases and Stripped-off Gases (SOG).
These gases are not harmful at the vented concentrations. To help alleviate the odour, the mill has activated its odour suppression system, which is, in essence, a perfume-dosing system that helps combat unpleasant odour.
The mill apologises for any inconvenience that may be caused during this time and thanks to the community for their understanding.
