Stamp out stink

RESIDENTS living near Kingston tips are helping the EPA snoop on landfill operators as the bid to stamp out the stink steps up. EPA officers will crack down with daily odour surveillance of Din San Nursery, Enviromix, Transpacific Industries and Clayton Regional Landfill over the next three weeks and has selected 17 residents to keep dedicated odour diaries for that period. Westall Secondary College and Clayton South primary schools are also keeping logs for the EPA. >>Are things improving? Tell us below or our Facebook page ‘Stop the Stink: Make Kingston Odour Free’ Despite a reduction in odour reports to the EPA in Dingley and Clayton South since August, there have still been about 400 complaints in those areas in that time. Clayton South resident Jim Apostolopolous said he had been calling the EPA odour hotline every second day. “It was continuous,” he said. “Things have definitely improved, but things need to improve more.” Mr Apostolopolous said he had already completed three diaries but would continue to log the odours for the EPA. EPA southern metro regional manager Bronwyn Green said the information would be used to pinpoint exact sources of odour and determine whether current remedial works were working. “Our officers are trained in odour recognition and it is that expertise that will enable us to get a real-time understanding of the odour,” Ms Green said. “We’ll also work with a select group of residents, asking them to record their observations and experiences of odour over a certain time frame.” The EPA will also inspect sites to ensure they were complying with both licences and notices.