Fall out from Bermuda Electric Light Company's (Belco) smoke stacks continues to dirty relations between it and area residents.

Several area residents said they had experienced fall-out from the chimneys and one lady said she had been complaining for years.

The lady did not want to be named but said Belco management would know who she was and said: "They do lots of work for charity instead of looking after their neighbours.'' She also said that the smell that occasionally wafted over from the power plant was: "enough to knock you out''.

The lady said she was concerned for her health and said: "Someone needs to come and check our tanks and make sure they are healthy.'' Royal Gazette Sports editor, Adrian Robson lives in the "fall-out zone,'' and said that his roof was painted in January after a fall out and then again about two weeks ago.

However, between May 12 and 13, there was another fall out, dumping thick tarry soot on to his newly painted roof, his car and his laundry that was hanging out to dry.

Mr. Robson said that it was not just a light layer and that when you touched the soot, it disintegrated into your fingers.

And he said because it rained shortly after, the soot turned into a brown smudge and his roof is now brown again.

"It is a joke,'' he said and added: "It is ironic that they just paid to have my roof painted and now it is dirty again.'' He said that he had contacted Belco's environmental manager, Wayne Carrey who assured him that the soot was not a health hazard.

He also questioned Belco's promise that the new stack they recently built would eliminate the fall-out problem.

Mr. Carey said the latest fall-out incident was under investigation and they were still trying to determine why it happened.

He said that fall-outs were an abnormal circumstance and that it did not happen very often, although he said it was possible they would happen again in the future.

He also said there were no other complaints stemming from that occasion.

Mr. Carey admitted they would never have full control over the possible fall-out but said they were regulated, and complied with the Clean Air Act.

And as far as the soot being a health hazard, he said: "We don't think so. We have looked at the soot in the past and we have no reason to believe at this time there is any reason for health concerns.'' He said there were two types of fall-out and that when it was black soot, the vast majority was unburnt carbon.

The second type of fall-out was from rust inside the stack, which Mr. Carey said was due to corrosion and was very difficult to manage.

He said that the proximity of the houses was one of the many factors they have to deal with and added that the vast majority of people that experience fall-out see it more as a nuisance factor rather than a health concern.

Mr. Carey said he understood Mr. Robson's concern and said they were trying to figure out how to prevent fall-outs happening again.

He also said they were looking to re-paint his roof.

BUSINESS BUC