COMMENT: How do we live with the stink?

The conflict here is that the businesses perform a valuable role

AFTER years of complaining, at least the people of Ipswich now have some acknowledgement that there is a God-awful stink that comes from Swanbank.

That's one thing I suppose. Another thing is how you deal with it.

Spend a bit of time on Swanbank Rd and you'll quickly observe that hundreds of trucks - many from interstate - come and go from the waste and recycling industry in that area every working day.

There appears to be some mystery regarding exactly what is contained in these big loads of waste.

But you don't have to be Einstein to come to the conclusion that this combination of landfil, green waste and liquid waste has the propensity to stink, and given the right circumstances, that stink can spread far and wide.

The conflict here is that the businesses in the Swanbank area perform a valuable role, not only in the way they recycle the waste that you and I create every day, but also in the local economy.

Is there a way we can provide a hub for such business, yet still boast a clean and liveable city, which is growing at a faster rate than almost anything else in Australia?

Originally published as COMMENT: How do we live with the stink?