Residents Raise A Stink
OPPONENTS of the Regional Resource Recovery Centre (RRRC) have renewed calls for the centre to close following an odour-monitoring program showing green waste and fermented garbage odours still plague the surrounding areas.
The Leeming and Willetton Community Odour Monitoring program, co-ordinated by the DEC, confirmed the presence of green waste and fermented garbage odours in the suburbs from January to April this year.
Canning Melville Community Odour Action Group spokesman Rod Petterson said the results clearly showed there was an ongoing problem at the centre.
“Something needs to be done quickly as we are heading into the problematic time of year… it seems to be worse in summer,” he said.
“Our position in 2006 was just to close the centre down until the odour problem was resolved. That remains our position.”
The odour monitor recorded smells from 32 residential properties across the two suburbs over a 14-week period, with participating residents required to log all odours while the DEC conducted field observations.
DEC director of environment regulation Alan Sands said more than 190 odours out of 332 odour log reports were attributable to the centre.
He said most green waste, compost and fermented garbage odours were reported during February, March and April and, in light of the results, a further investigation would be undertaken.
SMRC chairman Tony Romano acknowledged the odours in Leeming and Willetton but said the reported smells “were generally weak and transient.” He said the council would continue to work with the community and DEC to meet its license conditions and environmental goals.
Source: Canning Times
