After 40 years of living in North Maclean, resident David Kemp has taken a stand against pungent odours that blow into his property from a nearby mushroom farm.
The north-north west winds bring the odours to the Kemp’s home and they are tired of having to lock themselves away from them.
“We are basically trapped,” he said.
“I feel sorry for the people living next door to the farm.”
Mr Kemp said there was no peak times for the smells but it was more noticeable in the summer months when they tried to let cool air into their home.
The mushroom farm, which is owned by the Costa Group, was operational when the Kemps moved in, but Mr Kemp said the odour was not an issue then, as it was a only a small company at the time.
“We recorded the smells for 12 months, but the Department (of Environment and Heritage Protection) told us they couldn't do anything unless they recorded it,” he said.
“Surely they could set something up here (to record over multiple days).
“Just imagine how many complaints would occur if this was happening at Yarrabilba or Flagstone, but there’s not a lot of us to complain.
“I have written so many letters, but I don’t think anything will happen.
“We don’t want them shut down, we want them to deal with the odour.”
Mr Kemp believes an offsite mulch process or a filtered shed system would be a helpful solution for the residents in the area to deal with the odour.
A Department of Environment and Heritage Protection spokesperson said the Department had received several complaints about offensive odours over a number of years and had investigated the concerns when raised.
“In response to odour complaints received during January 2016, the Department issued a penalty infringement notice to the company for creating an unlawful odour nuisance,” the spokesperson said.
“The Department is committed to its regulatory function and, as is the case with all activities that it administers, will continue to hold the company accountable for complying with its environmental responsibilities.
“In addition to recent audits of the site, the department will continue to monitor the activity and respond to complaints when received.”
Costa Corporate Affairs Manager Michael Toby said in the event that someone was concerned about the way the site is operating, they were encouraged to contact the company directly.
”Costa at all times seeks to ensure it adheres to responsible environmental practices in the operation of the site,” Mr Toby said.
Residents can call the Department’s pollution hotline on 1300 130 372.
