We appreciate that the impacts of odours can be unpleasant and can have an effect on quality of life.
The EPA is reviewing each report of odour from community complaints and is working with local industry to investigate the potential sources of odours.
EPA officers are conducting frequent odour surveys in the Eastern Creek/Minchinbury area. Odour surveys are conducted when meteorological conditions are favourable for odours and we are focussing on times when the community are reporting odours including early morning and late evening.
There are several facilities in the area which could be contributing to offensive odours. The EPA is working with these facilities to ensure odours are appropriately managed and if necessary regulatory action will be taken.
Background
In 2021 and 2022, the EPA responded to a significant number of community reports of odour in Eastern Creek, Minchinbury and surrounding suburbs.
We identified odours being emitted from Bingo’s Dial-A-Dump facility at Eastern Creek during certain periods. Measures were put in place to reduce the odour impacts on the community, including restrictions to the company’s environment protection licence and regulatory action in relation to breaches of legislation.
The EPA charged Dial-A-Dump under section 129 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for emitting offensive odours from its premises in 2021. Dial-A-Dump entered a plea of guilty to the charge and was fined $280,000 by the Land and Environment Court.
Odour monitors were installed in 2021 to detect hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg gas), which was the main odour reported by the community. Since the completion of the landfill gas collection and flaring network in 2022, the monitors did not detect levels above the threshold for an extended period. The odour monitors were a temporary measure while works at the landfill were being undertaken, and were decommissioned in November 2023.
To request historical air-monitoring data, please email info@epa.nsw.gov.au.
The EPA continues to closely monitor the situation. Our officers are regularly patrolling the area, inspecting licences facilities including the Bingo landfill, and taking odour surveys.
Reporting odours
Community reports can play an import role in our investigation of odours.
We need local information about the location, time, duration, and type of odour that you are experiencing to help us identify patterns as part of our investigation.
Important information on odours can be recorded using the fact sheet and odour log sheet (PDF 160KB).
If you are experiencing odour impacts please contact the 24-hour Environment Line on 131 555 or email info@epa.nsw.gov.au.