Tourism staff protest against distracting odour

Ministry of Tourism staff walked off the job yesterday.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Several workers at the Ministry of Tourism walked off the job yesterday in protest to a stench that has been permeating the building – on and off – for over a year.

Permanent secretary in the ministry, Milinette Ambrose, told OBSERVER media only one employee reported feeling unwell and was allowed to leave yesterday.

She admitted several others went home but no information regarding reasons was conveyed to her office.

“We had a meeting on Wednesday, when it was indicated, as before, that if workers are feeling uncomfortable or unwell working with the smell in the air, they should report to their department managers or myself before leaving,” Ambrose said.

However, the established protocol was not followed yesterday except in the case of one person, the permanent secretary indicated.

It is not clear whether any action would be taken against those workers who left work without informing the authorities.

However, Ambrose said the ministry is aware of the stench and workers would not be forced to work under such conditions.

Ambrose did not say how the workers’ action affected productivity at the ministry yesterday.

Earlier this week, workers at the Ministry of Education – housed in the same building as the tourism ministry – complained of the odour, which they said smelled like sewage.

They have been plagued by the stench for about two years and have walked off the job in the past – yet not much has been done to address the problem, one worker said yesterday.

Public Works technicians had reportedly examined the sewage system and air conditioning unit in the past to ascertain the source of the smell and how to eliminate it. The stench ceased, but only for a short time and nothing has been done since.

Apart from complaints from those two ministries, similar problems were reported by staff at the High Court and the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

The two government headquarters are housed in buildings in the same area and were constructed by the same engineer.

All the structures are sealed and depend on air conditioning around the clock.

Looking for odour solutions , now

How it works

The company is confident it will solve an odour problem plaguing. The company was creating a foul odour that had besieged the residents.
The residence were happy with the progress it had made to date the problem would abate much earlier than previously expected.

" we expect the odour control to be fixed much sooner," he said.

"We are committed to fixing this problem - we don't want to talk about what it's costing us other than to say we're throwing everything we have at it."

.

"The fact that we're getting large amounts of gas each day from the anaerobic lagoons is proof the biological system is working,"

No odour at all was immediately detectable at the 8-metre deep covered lagoon site despite the water having only received minimal treatment.

In the process, solids are removed from the water before it reaches the covered lagoons and micro-organisms then digest the remaining pollutants and expel natural gas which is burned to create energy.


The sewage-like smell emanating from the site has blanketed their homes for months.


Then reducing the amount of foul smelling liquid remaining in the ponds, giving the company further confidence that the offending water would soon be diluted enough to have the smell vanish forever.

The smell was present but downwind it appeared not to be reaching the noxious levels described by some residents.

But the level of odour changes depending on the time of day.

No doubt it was impressive, and that cost appeared to be no object for the company as it battled to control the side effects.

The smell was as bad as ever, particularly at night, and residents remained worried about how long they would be expected to live with the problem and what other side effects may appear down the track.



He said once fully commissioned, the system would boost the company's environmental credentials and should lead to a more harmonious existence with surrounding communities. 

our thought of the day

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Disgusting odour from Laois dump

Since mid-December a constant disgusting odour had been coming from the Kyletalisha dump, complained Cllr Marc Connolly at Mountmellick Town Council last week. In foggy weather, the odour had hung over the town, he said. It seemed to him that the flares on the dump were no working. “Who is monitoring this?” he asked. Cllr Paddy Bracken, a member of the Kyletalisha monitoring committee, said a capping operation was going on at the tiphead which, he pointed out, was to close. There had been some leakage. The monitoring had complied with EPA guidelines, he added. Cllr Denis O’Mara: “How long have we to put up with this. A year? Two years?” Cllr Bobby Delaney said a nearby farmer, Mr Denis Whelan, had told him that the smell from the tiphead had never been as bad before. Cllr Connolly: “People are entitled to know what type of gas they are inhaling.” Cathaoirleach Rosemary Whelan: “We will have a full report for the next meeting.”

Green bin waste composter faces odour fine

The recent court decision is the culmination of an investigation by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) that began years ago. The charges were laid following numerous odour complaints from local residents and business owners near Orgaworld's London facility, dating back to August 2007.

MOE spokesperson Kate Jordan explained the nature of the convictions:

“The convictions relate to ‘operating a waste disposal site not in accordance with ministry approval.’”

According to Jordan, the ministry issued an order in the spring of 2008 in response to the persistent complaints. The order was a direct attempt to enforce better odour control, mandating that Orgaworld “transfer all processing and composting of organic waste indoors,” specifically targeting an outdoor curing pad that was identified as a primary source of the problem.

In the Dec. 27 ruling:

Orgaworld was fined $37,000 plus victim fine surcharges.

Steven Mark Van Manen, the former operations manager, was fined $7,500 plus victim fine surcharges.

Both were given 90 days to pay and received suspended sentences for failing to comply with the written notification.

A Second Investigation and a $5 Million Solution

The legal troubles for Orgaworld don't end there. A second MOE investigation into odour complaints, launched in the spring and summer of 2010, led to a further 24 charges being laid in February 2012. These new charges are against the company and its president, Henricus J. M. Kasdkens.

In response to the 2010 investigation, Orgaworld took significant action. In July of that year, the company voluntarily suspended operations, removed all material from the plant, and invested heavily in a solution. Jordan noted that Orgaworld spent an estimated $5 million on a plant upgrade specifically intended to resolve the persistent odour control issues.

A pre-trial for these 2010 charges was adjourned in December 2012 and is now scheduled for Feb. 4, 2013.

About Orgaworld: A Green Mission with Challenges

Orgaworld plays a critical role in Ontario's green initiatives, composting green bin waste from a number of municipalities. The company operates two facilities in the province, located in London and Ottawa. The final compost product is a valuable resource, sold to Ontario farmers to fertilize their fields, with some material from the Ottawa plant also being used for animal bedding.

This case underscores the difficult balance between advancing environmental programs like large-scale composting and maintaining a good relationship with the surrounding community through effective odour control and operational compliance.

Key Facts at a Glance

Company: Orgaworld

Total Fine (Dec 27 Case): $44,500

Core Issue: Failing to comply with a Ministry order for odour control.

Company's Response (2010): $5 million plant upgrade

Next Legal Step: Pre-trial for 2010 charges on Feb. 4, 2013

D-Day for Brooklyn odour offender

A SERIAL offender responsible for the highest number of odour complaints in Brooklyn could be stripped of its operating licence. The Environment Protection Authority has given Australian Tallow until December 14 to explain why EPA should not suspend its licence. The company must produce a detailed plan fully outlining improvements to infrastructure, waste and odour management. An EPA update to the Brooklyn Community Reference Group (BCRG) confirmed Australian Tallow continued to discharge odours in breach of its pollution abatement notice. "Odours have been confirmed and traced to the premises on multiple occasions. Since July this year, the site appears to have regressed somewhat in addressing odour issues at the site." Last year Australian Tallow was convicted and fined $70,000 over offensive odours and the discharge of animal-derived fat from the Brooklyn rendering facility into Kororoit Creek. EPA metro manager Richard Marks said most of the businesses in the Brooklyn area were legitimate, but the way they were operating was a real concern. "We've got some major odour issues in the area. Australian Tallow, which is our last major odour source there, is an area of focus for us at the moment."

Possible solution for Timaru’s ongoing odour issue

A solution may be in hand for the nuisance odour which has been a persistent problem for residents of Timaru, particularly during the warm summer months. Jason Evered Area Leader RMA Compliance Monitoring, based in Timaru, says Environment Canterbury has made it a priority to resolve the problem, but to date, standard approaches to finding the source of the odour have been unsuccessful. “We hope this new environmental software solution which we are trialling will mean the odours can finally be traced and we can then find a way to eliminate them,’’ he says. “Residents have been suggesting a variety of reasons for the troublesome smell, but it will be good to finally identify the source and do something about it ending the speculation.’’ The EnviroSuite Odour Tracking system operates by modelling local weather in real-time. As soon as a complaint is received, the system runs a “backtrack” from the location of the complaint and shows the path that the odour has travelled. The system, which has been used successfully to track odour sources in Australia and Spain and can handle a large number of complaints identified from different locations at any one time. Mr Evered says “Existing equipment is being used for the trial and software is in the process of being installed and we expect it all to be up and running before Christmas. “To my knowledge this is the first time this system has been used in New Zealand and results should be available soon after the system has been fully installed. “To really get to the bottom of the problem, we are encouraging all residents to report nuisance odours, making sure they note the location and exact time where and when they smelt the odour, as well as a description of the smell.’’ Residents can phone our Pollution Hotline number 24 hours a day on 0800 76 55 88 and report the time, location and description of the offensive or objectionable odour.

Richmond Review - Foul odour prompts local to gather public feedback

Richmond Review - Foul odour prompts local to gather public feedback


A local resident, fearful that the current effort to eliminate the foul smell linked to Harvest Power's composting facility in East Richmond will linger on for years, is urging Richmond residents to get involved.
"I believe only the community involvement will solve this problem," wrote Patricio Alfaro in an e-mail. "I am writing because I am interested in building awareness of the damage the offensive odour has...to the environment, and to property value."
Alfaro has set up an e-mail address, and is encouraging people upset about the smell to send in e-mails to richmondsmell@gmail.com.
Alfaro hopes to establish a social network whose goal is to eliminate the odour problem.
Alfaro's concerns stem from the experience of residents in London, Ontario, where a waste treatment facility was introduced six years ago.
Alfaro said officials from Orgaworld promised their facility would be "odour free."
"The situation in London, Ont. may be related to a different type of waste processing than Harvest Power, but the passive reaction of the people in a position of solving the odour problem in Richmond is the same as in London," he said. "We hear from the city authorities, from Metro Vancouver, and from Harvest Power management that a solution is in study, giving hope for a return to fresh air again in Richmond and other communities affected."
But Alfaro fears the reality "is that the damaging offensive smell will continue for years to come."
"Promise after promise, the community authorities, the environment authority, and the composting plant have not resolved the problem. The local residents are tired and want the London plant closed for good.

Harvest Power, which is near No. 9 Road and Highway 91 in East Richmond, takes yard and food waste from the city and composts it, turning it into energy.

“We are absolutely committed to dealing with this issue, and given our good record of odour management at the facility going back to the early 1990s, see it as a temporary problem that we can full resolve,” Jeff Leech, regional vice president of Harvest Power, told The Richmond Review last week.

“We are absolutely committed to dealing with this issue, and given our good record of odour management at the facility going back to the early 1990s, see it as a temporary problem that we can full resolve.”

A large part of the problem is expected to be addressed by a new multi-million dollar anaerobic digester that recently came online, and encapsulates the composting process into a closed-air system.

Harvest Power has set up a community hotline to respond to inquiries, comments and complaints at 604-836-8387.

Crying foul over odour claims

ODOUR experts have inspected the site of a proposed chicken farm in the Southern Downs. Carr Farming Trust has appealed a Southern Downs Regional Council decision in the Planning and Environment Court to establish a poultry farm at Elbow Valley, west of Warwick, with "unreasonable" conditions. Council approved the chicken facility application but only for 28 chicken sheds, down from the development application request of 48 sheds. Each shed would house 60,000 chickens at any time, with neighbouring property owners objecting on the grounds of odour, dust, vehicle movements and water contamination issues. An expert report, tended to the court, on the potential impact of odours to surrounding properties found one property, in particular, would be a "critical receptor" to odours. The Carr Farming Trust claimed the conditions imposed on their venture were too onerous. In particular, the trust believed a council-imposed condition the company amalgamate surrounding properties unreasonable. The matter was listed in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on Friday for an on-site inspection. Site neighbours had granted permission for officials to use their property during the inspection, court documents show. According to documents filed to the court, Judge Philip Robin ordered odour experts for council and Carr Farming Trust to finalise another report by 5pm on Friday.

Govt moves to clean up fowl stench

In an effort to deal with the stench and environmental risks from the solid wastes of the poultry sector, Government will embark on a project to clean up and beautify the industry, says Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj. Maharaj, speaking at a meeting with members of the poultry sector at Marriott Hotel, Invaders Bay, said that the project will approach the Green Fund and other United Nations agencies for financial and technical support. The Food Production Ministry, he said, through the Agricultural Development Bank and in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, is conceptualising "Greening of the Poultry Sector". Maharaj said a comprehensive environmental scan of the sector will be completed to determine the number and location of poultry farms and pluck shops, the number of chickens raised at each farm annually, the total waste produced, an analysis of the poultry litter and where it is spread and a soil analysis of areas where poultry litter is spread. A clean development mechanism project will be developed, he said, that will treat with the solid waste emitted by the poultry sector. Additionally, trees will be planted and ventilation systems will be modernised to treat with potential air pollution. The poultry industry, said Maharaj, has seen phenomenal growth worldwide and in this country the poultry sector accounts for more than 50 per cent of agriculture's contribution to GDP. Maharaj said over the past decades with the sector's growth there is far more waste that can be managed by land disposal, resulting in environmental problems. "As you may know, poultry facilities are a source of odour and attract flies, rodents and other pests that create local nuisances and carry disease. Odour emissions from poultry farms adversely affect the life of people living in the vicinity. Odour associated with poultry operations comes from fresh and decomposing waste products such as manure, carcasses, feathers and bedding litter," he said. On-farm odour, he added, is mainly emitted from poultry buildings, manure and storage facilities. "Odour from animal feeding operations is not caused by a single compound, but is rather the result of a large number of contributing compounds, including ammonia, volatile organic compounds, and hydrogen sulphide," said Maharaj. "Although generally not causing any public health concern, odours can represent a strong local problem that is frequently reported by farms' neighbours as the most disturbing environmental impact," the minister added.

A Mysterious Odour ?

The City of St. John's is aware of a foul odour over the weekend and again today that seems to be emanating from the downtown area and spreading for miles east and west. But there doesn't seem to be any answers as to where it's coming from. A city spokeswoman said the manager of St. John's sewage treatment plant at St. John's harbour smelled the odour herself on the weekend and set out to check out the plant's functioning. However, she said, everything was functioning well at the plant. "It's definitely not coming from there," she said. The spokeswoman said a further check today with the city's environmental services staff couldn't find any breaks in sewer pipes that could cause such an odour. "So, it doesn't seem to be anything with the city that has caused it," she said. The harbour does have a unique odour of its own, she said, and the foggy, damp conditions on the weekend could have contributed to it spreading, but that doesn't seem to explain the strong foul odour many people in the city have described as being like raw sewage. On the weekend, two of the largest cruise ships to ever visit the city were in port around the same time the odour was at its peak. The spokeswoman checked into how their sewage tanks are emptied and told The Telegram, she was assured they were pumped out by Crosbie Industrial Services trucks after arriving in port. She said the city has actually made strides in cleaning up St. John's Harbour and its treatment plant has been functioning so well in recent weeks, the city will likely soon provide a public update on the project's overall progress. In the meantime, city officials are interested in finding the source of the foul odour, but have no idea where it's coming from.

Surfactant Enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation Treatment of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids

Surfactant Enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation Treatment of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids

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