Scilly’s Council has denied that a plague of flies is due to the incinerator, instead blaming seaweed on the Islands’ beaches.
The flies are thought to have been attracted to piles of rotting rubbish left by the incinerator, which started working again last month after four months out of action due to a refit to comply with EU specifications.
But Chief Technical Officer Neville Gardner told BBC Radio Cornwall: ‘It’s probably a combination of factors: The tides, the amount of weed that’s around, the weather. We’ve had some foggy damp days with some heat and the climate’s been otherwise warm, which has probably helped the life cycle of these creatures.”
In response to islander’s accusations about the dump, he said: ‘To use the words of Christine Keeler, ?they would say that, wouldn’t they???
And whilst he admitted that the flies were attracted to rotting vegetation and that such material existed at the dump, he pointed out that it was covered and regularly sprayed.
‘We’ve taken advice on the most effective material to spray to keep these creatures at bay and we’re spraying a couple of times a week,” he told presenter Laurence Reed.
“Equally they’re going to be attracted to other forms of rotting vegetation around and there’s quite a build-up of seaweed on the beaches, so naturally you can expect there to be a problem associated with that.?
He added that flies were a problem in other parts of the country, as well as on other islands apart from St Mary’s. “In truth, all the islands have got them, it’s asking a great deal to say they start in St Mary’s and go to all corners of the various islands.?
But Councillor Gordon Billsborough was not convinced. “If you believe that most of the flies come from the seaweed, you’ll believe anything,” he said.
“Just try telling that to people who live near the tip. I?ve had a look around there and there are a large number of flies on the rotting rubbish because it is not totally covered up. Spraying every five days isn’t enough. It can’t be coincidence that the incinerator was out of action for four months and then we have a swarm of flies when the hot weather starts.”
He was concerned that tourists were being put off and feared the situation could get worse.
‘If we are incapable of spraying the rubbish and keeping down the flies, then we should call outside help. It would cost money, but it’s costing the tourist trade money. It is vital that we find a long term solution.?