Residents of Ipswich in Australia have taken civil legal action against a large waste facility, claiming that the sickening odors are to blame for their health problems.
Swanbank Industrial Area (SIA) in Ipswich is responsible for a foul odor that thousands of locals have been trying to get under control for years, according to News.com.au.
There have been over 25,000 complaints received by the Department of Environment and Science (DES) since 2018 and over 6,000 since January.
There have been reports of residents becoming unwell due to the odors, and the Australian Cancer Atlas shows that lung cancer is diagnosed at a rate 47% higher than the national norm among individuals living in nearby communities.
Residents allege that the authorities have unpunished NuGrow Ipswich, which operates the multimillion-dollar composting facility Swanbank Industrial Area.
Swanbank Subject to Restraining Order
The DES applied for a restraining order on Friday, December 1 to stop operations that produce unpleasant smells. Upon approval, the order will provide the department the authority to restrict certain activities of NuGrow, such as collecting very pungent trash that might cause neighborhood complaints about smell.
The state government took legal action soon after DES held a community drop-in session at Redbank Plains, where angry locals could air their frustrations to DES officials.
In response, NuGrow stated, "We recognise Ipswich residents' concerns about the impact of unpleasant odours around the Swanbank Industrial Area (SIA) and we have been active in trying to resolve this problem."
The Ipswich City Council was even criticized by the corporation for permitting the housing construction so near to its facilities. "It is important to note that both Ipswich City Council and the State Government approved the location of NuGrow's facilities, and that we have always been perturbed by Council's subsequent approval of housing development so close to the SIA."
There are currently nine waste management companies in SIA, making pinpointing and controlling odor sources difficult. NuGrow urges the State Government and the Council to collaborate with all SIA operators to discover the best way to address this issue.
Environmental and planning authorities have rejected NuGrow's plans to enclose its composting plant, but the firm plans to challenge the decisions. It also said that it is waiting for answers to its requests to discuss resolution methods from Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding and Environment Minister Leanne Linard.
Industrial Park's Neighbors Are Furious
Over time, residents in the neighborhoods around the industrial park have become more angry.
An irate woman reportedly told the Courier Mail that there should be a protest. A couple also recommended that impacted households get air purifiers from the government.
Until thorough containment measures could be implemented, some neighborhood residents demanded that garbage and recycling enterprises be temporarily closed.
Recent data from the DES 2023 Swanbank Odour Complaints heat map shows a substantial change in the regional distribution of complaints compared to the 2022 version, highlighting the problem is seriousness.
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