THE transportation of animal by-products - an issue which sparked a petition in Queensbury - will be discussed by councillors in Bradford next week.

A report, which includes information from Public Health England about potential risks to residents from smells and spillages, will form part of the agenda at a meeting of Bradford Council's environment and waste overview and scrutiny committee.

The meeting will hear details of successful prosecutions completed by the council against companies responsible for spillages in Bradford, Queensbury and Keighley.

They included ones against Leo Group affiliated firms Alba Transport Ltd and Kintore Transport Haulage Ltd. Alba had to pay out a total of £12,728 in fines and costs for spillages in September 2009, September and November 2010, and January, June and July 2011. Kintore was ordered to pay a total of £17,639 in fines and costs for spillages in April and October 2012, and June 2013.

JG Pears (Newark) Ltd was told to pay fines and costs totalling £12,600 after hazardous offal was spilled on to Wakefield Road in Bradford on September 4, 2014.

A spillage on August 6, 2013, on Brighouse Road, Queensbury, saw GH By-Products (Derby) ordered to pay £4,717.

Venlo Transport Services paid out £3,900 for a spillage on Hammerton Street, Bradford, on February 14 last year.

The report said there are two pending prosecutions against The Haulage (Holdings) Organisation Ltd for alleged spillages in Cullingworth and Queensbury, on March 3 and October 26 last year, respectively.

On possible health implications, Public Health England in Yorkshire and the Humber said: "We recognise that lorries passing through may be odorous to residents, but we consider the risk to health from hydrogen sulphide gas to be negligible.

It added: "There are potential risks associated with direct contact with the spillages and these would be affected by both the contents of the spillage and level of contact. The main risk would be from gastrointestinal illness (diarrhoea and vomiting) following hand-to-mouth contamination.

"Advice from Public Health England is that direct contact with spillages is avoided."

The report also states that Omega Proteins Ltd, which transports animal by-products and has a site at Erlings Works, off Thornton Road, is trialling "new and improved" vehicles "designed to reduce spillages and odour.

It adds: "The haulage company usually clean up any spillages of animal by-products in a prompt manner, using appropriate chemicals and deodorisers where necessary."

Public Health England said: "If there are adequate systems in place to protect the health and safety of workers who are in direct contact with the animals, and if animal by-products are transported using appropriately controlled and secure methods, then the risk will not be significant to residents in the villages through which the waste is transported."

A petition against the "smelly wagons" signed by residents in Queensbury was submitted to the full council on December 8 last year and recommended to be transferred to the committee on February 16.

The report states that the Council cannot take enforcement action for "smell nuisances from vehicles", but that it will prosecute in every spillage case where there is "sufficient evidence".

The recommendation currently in place is that officers continue to be supported in undertaking enforcement, whenever possible, against hauliers responsible for animal by-product spillages.