HOMEOWNERS on a Lydney estate claim metal fallout in the rain is affecting their uPVC double-glazing window frames.
Simon Johnston, who lives in Lakeside Avenue, said he and fellow residents believed the metal particles were deposited when the wind was blowing from the direction of the Federal Mogul factory.
He thought it had become worse since fire destroyed a factory filter some weeks ago.
"It is horrible – we have to keep washing it off. It is getting into the plastic and discolouring it," he said. "I also worry about the health aspect."
However a Federal Mogul spokesman said the factory worked very hard at keeping emissions of all kinds well below recommended safe limits.
David Oddy, who is responsible for environmental matters at the camshaft manufacturing plant, said the filter in question dealt with odours rather than dust and another odour filter had been brought into play almost immediately after the fire.
Dust extraction had been unaffected and had continued to work to the same high standards. "We are having new equipment made to replace the damaged filter," he said.
"We have a residents' committee to keep us in touch too and I would be very happy for anyone to come and inspect our controls here.
"There are bound to be emissions with an operation this size but we strive to keep them down to 10 per cent of permitted levels.
"We have had complaints in the past. Soot was reported in one incident but that's a substance we don't produce here. We're just first in line."
And Forest of Dean District Council's environmental officer Paul Symonds agreed.
"All Federal Mogul emissions are well within limits," he said.
"All big manufacturing plants have some fallout by their very nature but it usually only affects homes when the wind is in a particular direction."