Over 2,000 signatures have been lodged with Mayo County Council calling for the refusal of planning permission for the Glancre sludge processing plant in Geesala, owned by the Cork-based Oran Group.
The signing of the petition followed on from a stand-off at the plant on Friday, when a group of over 40 protesters blocked a lorry from entering the plant.
"Intolerable odours" from the plant have been the root of the problem since Glancre commenced their sludge processing operations over two years ago.
As well as the 2,000 signatures opposing planning permission for the plant, over 40 personal objections have also been lodged with Mayo County Council by locals. The council is due to give a decision on the planning application on September 7th.
The sludge raw material, which the company describes as non-hazardous, comes from waste-water treatment plants in the Connacht region, according to Glancre. The sludge is mixed with peat, which is sourced locally from Bord na Móna bogs, to make fertiliser pellets and industrial fuel.
Despite the persistent problem of odours from the plant, the company insists that all emissions are substantially within the limits set in their permit and will be "independently monitored" by Bord na Móna Environmental Services.
In a statement issued by Glancre in response to the protest at the plant, the company claimed their lorry driver was "surrounded by cars and threatened that his lorry would be burned out, while a man with a lump hammer threatened to smash the lorry's lights". The company acknowledged that only a small number of the protesters at the plant were involved in these incidents and that they intend to pursue the matter through the courts.
A spokesperson for Glancre said that further initiatives will be announced next week to meet local people and give full information about their products and processes at the plant.
Mr Laurence Howard of the Erris Action Group, which is objecting to the operations at the plant, said locals had no choice but to take this action in light of Glancre's failure to comply with a High Court ruling.