Local residents are complaining of serious symptoms brought by fumes from nearby waste facilities
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There's nothing worse than feeling so unwell that it interferes with our day-to-day living.
But this is the reality for some residents of a Queensland city.
Locals living in the city of Ipswich reportedly suffer from noxious fumes that allegedly drifted from nearby landfills and composting facilities, which they claim have led to severe migraines and other serious symptoms.
They have lodged tens of thousands of complaints with the state government, calling for urgent action to protect their health and well-being.
'If I take the dogs out and I'm not quick enough to pick up on the smell, it'll bring on severe migraines,' said Gary Butler, a local resident.
'It's either I vomit, I dry retch, my nose, my eyes are stinging,' his wife Tracey added.
The couple have been struggling with the worsening stench for five years, living just streets away from several landfill and composting facilities in the Swanbank Industrial Area. After years of complaining, they have been advised to capture air samples in canisters.
‘When we go to bed, we make sure everything's fully closed as much as we can, we have a towel pushed up in our hallway at the gap in the garage,’ Tracey said. They also claim they aren't the only ones whose health is at risk.
In 2018, as a response to the issue, the Queensland government established an 'Odour Abatement Taskforce'. Since then, it's received nearly 25,000 complaints.
In a statement, the Department of Environment and Science said it has been 'actively investigating odour nuisance reports' but explained that the issue is more complex.
‘Businesses involved in these activities are licenced by the department,’ the statement read.
‘They must comply with their environmental obligations and not cause unlawful harm to the environment or impact on the community.’
It was also reported that they have undertaken detailed site inspections, reviewing their findings, and are making sure the waste operators are compliant.
Furthermore, the department said: ‘The results of scientific analysis of water, waste and compost product samples will determine potential enforcement action for any non-compliance.’
‘In response to community concerns, we will continue to provide air sampling canisters to residents in affected areas who are concerned about potential impacts on their health,’ the department added.
‘Results to date have not indicated any potential health concerns.’
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding has gone one step further in her criticism, claiming that the department was not punishing waste companies that are non-compliant.
'But we're not actually seeing any compliance action. We have waste operators in Ipswich who are not compliant,' Mayor Harding said.
'We're calling on the Department of Environment and Science to do their job.'
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But this is the reality for some residents of a Queensland city.
Locals living in the city of Ipswich reportedly suffer from noxious fumes that allegedly drifted from nearby landfills and composting facilities, which they claim have led to severe migraines and other serious symptoms.
Nearby waste facilities allegedly caused severe migraines and other serious symptoms among local residents in Ipswich, Queensland. Image source: Freepik (left), prostooleh on Freepik (right).
They have lodged tens of thousands of complaints with the state government, calling for urgent action to protect their health and well-being.
'If I take the dogs out and I'm not quick enough to pick up on the smell, it'll bring on severe migraines,' said Gary Butler, a local resident.
'It's either I vomit, I dry retch, my nose, my eyes are stinging,' his wife Tracey added.
The couple have been struggling with the worsening stench for five years, living just streets away from several landfill and composting facilities in the Swanbank Industrial Area. After years of complaining, they have been advised to capture air samples in canisters.
‘When we go to bed, we make sure everything's fully closed as much as we can, we have a towel pushed up in our hallway at the gap in the garage,’ Tracey said. They also claim they aren't the only ones whose health is at risk.
In 2018, as a response to the issue, the Queensland government established an 'Odour Abatement Taskforce'. Since then, it's received nearly 25,000 complaints.
In a statement, the Department of Environment and Science said it has been 'actively investigating odour nuisance reports' but explained that the issue is more complex.
‘Businesses involved in these activities are licenced by the department,’ the statement read.
‘They must comply with their environmental obligations and not cause unlawful harm to the environment or impact on the community.’
It was also reported that they have undertaken detailed site inspections, reviewing their findings, and are making sure the waste operators are compliant.
Furthermore, the department said: ‘The results of scientific analysis of water, waste and compost product samples will determine potential enforcement action for any non-compliance.’
‘In response to community concerns, we will continue to provide air sampling canisters to residents in affected areas who are concerned about potential impacts on their health,’ the department added.
‘Results to date have not indicated any potential health concerns.’
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding has gone one step further in her criticism, claiming that the department was not punishing waste companies that are non-compliant.
'But we're not actually seeing any compliance action. We have waste operators in Ipswich who are not compliant,' Mayor Harding said.
'We're calling on the Department of Environment and Science to do their job.'
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