SW organic waste on the nose

Dardanup Shire Council has demanded the operators of a regional organic waste dump fix a foul odour within two weeks or have the site repossessed.

Dardanup shire chief executive officer Mark Chester said he expected Bunbury-Harvey Regional Council to receive a notice tomorrow about the problem at the Crooked Brook site, casting doubt over the future of organic waste disposal.

“We’ve had several complaints from the public in places like Panizza Road – the problem is for people who live west of the site when the easterly breeze comes across and it stinks, ” he said.

“Bunbury-Harvey Regional Council has previously taken action by using some chemicals to break up the smell and it’s had some success, but the smell has come back.”

Bunbury-Harvey Regional Council chief executive officer and Bunbury City Council waste services manager Tony Battersby said the odour did not come from household organic bin waste but from commercial suppliers the site no longer accepted.

“The problem came from a milk by-product that was going sour and stale but we stopped accepting it two months ago, ” he said.

“I’d say we’ve found the problem and solved it, it’s a shame it’s gone this far because it’s a successful program that has a lot of benefits.”

Mr Chester said Bunbury-Harvey Regional Council needed to look at other organic waste facilities for solutions and report back to the Dardanup Shire Council.

Crooked Brook resident Lionel Machen – who lives within 3km of the facility – said he first noticed the smell 18 months ago but it had been worse during the past few months.

“I’ve had nights when the smell comes across and I can’t walk outside, it’s a sickly sort of smell like rotting vegemite, ” he said.

Mr Battersby said Dardanup Shire Council’s decision to issue the notice would put Bunbury City Council and Capel and Donnybrook shire councils in a “tricky situation” and alternative locations for the organic waste would need to be found if the site was repossessed.