More frustration ahead for long-suffering East Christchurch residents, in their long-running battle to get a smelly composting plant removed from their area.
Angry Bromley residents made impassioned pleas to councillors on Wednesday, demanding the council-run Living Earth Organics compost processing plant be closed immediately. They've been complaining about the smell coming from it affecting their health for a number of years. Bromley resident Geoffrey King told councillors he was sick of the delays.
"I move on at night in the summer because I've got to go and sleep in the layby in Sumner and in New Brighton to get out of the bloody stench so I can sleep. But it doesn't bother you, does it? No".
Earlier this year, city councillors vowed to close the compost plant as soon as practicable, and to find a temporary fix for the suburb's stench.
"Some days we cannot let our children play outside. We don't know what is happening inside their lungs. We need to provide a much cleaner health for our children. Flies in our classrooms, we are riddled with flies".
Linwood Community Board member Jackie Simons believes council has dropped the ball. She believes they should have done the mitigation report and consultation a year ago.
"The problem with this consultation is that it is highly unlikely that people who have not lived in the stench will be agreeable to a rates increase for the disposal of what is in fact their own green waste".
The public will be consulted on what to do with the organic waste in Bromley until the plant is shifted. The council will seek their views on shortlisted options which staff have identified as the most feasible to implement at the earliest opportunity. These are:
1. Send all mixed kerbside organics to an alternative, or several alternative, commercial composting and worm farm facilities if they have all necessary regulatory approvals; or
2. Send all of mixed kerbside organics to Kate Valley landfill, if Kate Valley has all necessary regulatory approvals; or
3. Continue composting at the Organics Processing Plant with operational improvements
Results from the consultation process will be presented to council in December. They'll have to decide on a short-term fix option, along with settling on a permanent solution to the smelly compost plant.
By Geoff Sloan
