When the Organics Processing Plant opened in 1994 it processed green waste only. This changed in March 2009 when it started accepting and processing mixed kerbside organics, which included food waste. The plant has a resource consent to discharge odour. Our objective has been to manage processing of organics so the risk of offensive and objectionable odour beyond the plant's boundary is reduced as much as possible.

There is a long history of complaints about odour from the Organics Processing Plant from some residents living in nearby areas. In 2020 Environment Canterbury (ECan), as the district’s regulatory authority, carried out an odour study where local residents could report odour via the ‘Smelt-It’ app. The study identified the Organics Processing Plant as a significant source of odour.

Since this time ECan has taken action in response to complaints of offensive and objectionable odours beyond the plant’s boundary. Read more about this.

In January 2021 we engaged independent external environmental specialist Pattle Delamore Partners (PDP) to assess and provide guidance on odour at and around the Organics Processing Plant. Odour control measures at the plant were also assessed. PDP has advised that the most significant source of odour is the compost material and the associated outdoor screening and storage of this.

To minimise the risk of odour PDP recommended steps to:

• eliminate outdoor screening of material
• minimise the amount of material stored outside
• minimise the amount of compost waiting to be screened so the volume doesn’t exceed processing capacity.

Living Earth implemented these steps as much as possible with the current operation, but this has not prevented further incidents of offensive and objectionable odour beyond the plant’s boundary.