More than 6000 Ipswich residents support petition to ‘stop the stink’

More than 6000 Ipswich locals have signed a petition calling for an end to odours that now “dictate” their lives, with residents issuing a heartfelt plea for clean air.

More than 6000 Ipswich locals have signed a petition calling for an end to odours that now “dictate” their lives, with residents issuing a heartfelt plea for clean air.

At the Ipswich City Council chambers on Thursday, Redbank Plains resident Tracey Butler, said in a moving speech that she wanted residents to live in Ipswich with clean air.

“We don’t want a cancer cluster here in years to come. Ipswich isn’t a dumping ground anymore. We want fresh air and we want to sleep with our windows open,” she said.

“Please be there for the residents of Ipswich. We put you here, do something in return.”

Ipswich resident Tracey Butler delivered a heartfelt speech at Ipswich City Council chambers on Thursday. Picture; Ipswich City Council/YouTube

In response to the petition the councillors reaffirmed their support in working together with the community to help “put the pressure on the waste industry.”

After delivering the petition Ms Butler told The Courier-Mail that they are “more determined than ever” to not give up their goal to “stop the stink.”

“We’re going to keep up the fight, we’re not going to let it go. They’ve got to do better or they will find themselves in the dole queue.”

Waste operator, NuGrow has been hit with a scathing slew of bad reviews online after the Department of Environment and Science (DES) filed a restraining order against the company, seeking to put a stop to odour-producing aspects of the business. This comes after hundreds of residents suffering from health issues related to the odour took to social media over the last few months to “stop the stink.”

Alexandra Jones described the smell as “putrid” in her one-star review.

“I didn’t spend my life savings on a house for you to make it smell like you took a dump in my ceiling,” the review read.

Jonathan Swadling thanked the company for “tarnishing the region with your presence,” while John Jervis said “the sooner it’s shut down the better.”

In just two months, the company has been hit with more than 10 negative reviews by residents in the area, pummelling the rating to 2.3 stars.

Michelle Kate described her symptoms as coughing, rashes, hives, burning skin, eye irritation and skin dryness from the Ipswich stench. Picture: Supplied

On Thursday DES issued a media release stating the restraining order application was heard in the Brisbane Planning and Environment Court, with the matter being adjourned for further review on December 20.”

Resident Michelle Kate, who has faced ongoing health issues since moving to area, said she felt “annoyed” about the delay.

“Why can’t they just decide and make a decision, they know the situation yet it’s being delayed a lot. I was p***ed off.”

Earlier this week, in response to the restraining order application, NuGrow issued a statement on their website.

“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 statement read.

“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.

“For its part, NuGrow would like to enclose its composting operation and lodged the necessary environmental and planning approval applications in 2022 to begin this work.”

NuGrow said they are planning to appeal the rejected application.

Swanbank Industrial Area. Picture: Department of Environment and Science.

A Transitional Environmental Plan (TEP) was approved in 2020, where NuGrow were required to install and operate “an in-vessel tunnel composting system with an air extraction system to a biofilter or biofilters” in four stages over the span of three years. In April 2021, NuGrow made an application to appeal the TEP, where NuGrow found “unanticipated site-based constraints that necessitated changes to the TEP actions relating to Stage 2”

In August 2022 NuGrow made an application to change the in-vessel tunnels to enclosing each windrow in a “textile cover system with integrated stormwater and leachate management” and a “combined stormwater and leachate management system.”

DES refused the TEP amendments in December 2022.

Swanbank land fill site near Ipswich. Picture: Danica Clayton

In response to the application, at the time DES stated, “there is a greater inherent risk in moving away from a conventional and predictable passive gravity-fed system to an above-ground tank system.” DES said they did not have confidence in the proposed changes at times of high rainfall, not enough information was given in regard to background water quality and environmental impact and the application did not include information on potential mitigation of odour issues.

In addition, NuGrow also requested extensions on time frames in the original TEP, which DES stated there are no “significant or meaningful interim measures” put in place to reduce the risk of environmental harm.

DES reaffirmed in the media release on Thursday that “they take community concerns seriously.”

“We will continue to take enforcement action, including court proceedings, against any operators who are found by the department to be wilfully and unlawfully causing an odour nuisance in the community,” the release said.