BINDAREE Beef is not meeting Environment Protection Authority standards on odour control, according to a report of go before the Orange City Council's planning, building and health committee meeting tonight.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$1/
(min cost $8)
Login or signup to continue reading
And the EPA has received 139 odour complaints from 43 individuals between August 23 and December 10.
The odour is caused by effluent that is currently stored in dams at the abattoirs.
Under the company's licence to transfer effluent the EPA allows biological oxygen demand concentration of 150 milligrams per litre but the actual level has blown out to 820.
The original plan was to treat the effluent at the abattoirs to a level that was acceptable to council's sewage treatment plan but those standards have not been met.
The report to be tabled at council tonight calls on Bindaree to "immediately comply with all aspects of the current approval and requirements of the EPA with regards to the operation of the abattoir including effluent treatment and storage.”
The report also states: "That council advise Bindaree Beef that council is dissatisfied with the current environmental performance of the abattoir.”
A public meeting was held at the works on Saturday to discuss the issue.
Nearby resident Peter Worsley said he was satisfied that Bindaree was attempting to fix the problem.
"They have said they are having some problems with the water. It is usually the bi-products that smell but you can't smell anything there, it is pretty spot on. But the water is pretty rank and that is what is causing a problem for anyone within a couple of kilometres (of the works). They're trying to fix the problem,” he said.
He said the solution could not come too soon.
"For us it smells when there is an easterly wind or a still night. The worse thing about it is at night. It really stinks at night and comes in and hangs there. It wakes you up. You want to sleep with your windows open at this time of the year but we can't,” he said.