Bradford Council agrees new measures to tackle 'bad odours' from Waddingtons factory
The company has long been linked to smells in the city centre and areas around the factory.
Last updated 9th Oct 2025
BRADFORD Council says it has agreed a range of actions following reports of “bad odours and emissions” linked to a long-standing city business.
The authority will appoint a dedicated Environmental Health officer to carry out regular inspections of the Waddingtons plant on the edge of Bradford city centre.
There will also be air quality assessments, and the Council says the company will be “held to account” if improvements are needed.
One Councillor said the impact of “strong smells” in areas of the city led to the Council “instructing Waddingtons to improve its odour controls.”
P Waddington & Co is one of the oldest companies in Bradford, having existed in one form or another since the 1880s.
It is one of just eight animal byproduct rendering facilities in the UK, and carries out processes to dispose of dead animals, or animal parts such as bone, offal and hooves, to create biofuel and energy.
The company has long been linked to smells in the city centre and areas around the factory.
And last year bosses of the company attended a meeting of the Council’s Health and Environment Scrutiny Committee, where neighbouring residents and local businesses said the site and its odours had blighted their lives.
Bradford East MP Imran Hussain has gone as far as calling for the business to close and relocate to a more suitable site.
Earlier this year the company told the Telegraph & Argus: “P Waddington make every effort to minimise odours beyond the site boundary.
“Our operations are within the strict requirements of our environmental permit and odour management plan.
“There are robust regulations governing this sector to ensure the protection of public health.”
On Wednesday afternoon Bradford Council released a statement on the company.
It said: “A range of actions have been agreed following several reports of bad odours and emissions over the summer months.
“This includes the appointment of a dedicated Environmental Health Officer to carry out regular inspections and ongoing monitoring of the factory, which in turn will enable timely discussions with the business to address any further concerns about emissions.
“A specialist company has also been commissioned to undertake air quality and odour assessments, alongside checks on emissions from the site’s chimneys.
“The company will provide independent evidence based on ambient air samples being taken to capture airborne odours from within the premises and from the external environment around the premises.
“They will undertake some qualitative emission sampling at the emission points from the stacks/chimneys which are served by the thermal oxidiser and the two sodium hypochlorite scrubbers that the process includes.
“Samples will also be taken of the solid materials which are produced during and as a result of the process operation.
“These actions will ensure that the council, the local community and the business have access to clear, independent information.
“Where improvements are required, Waddingtons will be held to account to make sure they are delivered and continued compliance will be monitored closely.”
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Healthy People and Places, said: “The council is committed to addressing the concerns raised by residents about odour from the Waddingtons site. Strong smells can seriously affect people’s quality of life which is why we instructed Waddingtons to improve its odour controls.
“We will continue to monitor odour levels and check that Waddingtons maintains effective control measures. If residents continue to experience problems, they should report them directly to the council so we can investigate promptly.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted Waddingtons for a comment.
Imran Hussain MP said: “After years of campaigning alongside local residents and councillors, I welcome this big step forward by Bradford Council in putting in place tougher monitoring and enforcement. It shows that the voices of our community are being heard.
““This is not just about a smell. It’s about people’s quality of life, and health. Waddingtons is operating a 19th-century business in the middle of a 21st-century city.”