Complaints about ‘fish’ smell continue

Timaru residents still think there’s something fishy about an odour hanging over the town.

Environment Canterbury (ECan) regional leader of investigations and incidents Valyn Barrett said it had received 13 complaints about an offensive ‘‘fish’’ odour from the Timaru area this year.

Residents also complained about effluent (13 complaints), sewage (11), offal (seven), compost (three), sulphur, dog food, and freezing plant (all two each).

ECan had narrowed the fish odour down to two possible sources - fish factories Talley’s and Sanfords. ’’Because they are so close, we cannot yet tell if it is either or both so we cannot fairly enforce one over the other.’’

It would continue to pinpoint the source and apply a solution.

ECan had been in discussion with the factories and both had taken steps to minimise potential odours, she said.

They included ensuring loading and unloading of fish product occurred inside loading bays, with external doors and windows shut, and ensuring potential odour producing processes occurred inside the factories with similar measures taken to prevent odour escaping.

ECan had spent years trying investigating the odour after residents started complaining in 2010. A pollution hotline received calls about an offensive odour predominantly during summer. Other potential offenders included Alliance Group’s Smithfield plant, South Canterbury By-Products, and the Timaru District Council rubbish dump.

However, none of the complaints were linked to those sites.

Software, costing $9000, installed to detect odours in Canterbury was used to help narrow the offensive odour down to the port area.

But it was not as effective in cases where weather was also a factor. ’’Our scientists tell us the odour can move out to sea on an offshore breeze and return on a sea breeze,’’ Barrett said.