It’s used to detect pot in Colorado, but the Nasal Ranger will have a different target in London.
City councillors have asked city staff to look into the possibility of including odour in London’s nuisance bylaw. The direction was one of a handful of steps taken by city politicians Tuesday night to address what residents describe as overpowering odours in south London caused by nearby compost and waste facilities.
It’s been 10 years since the arrival of Orgaworld in south London, a composting facility, and with it, smells residents say make it difficult to open their windows and spend time outdoors.
Residents blame Orgaworld, Storm Fisher Environmental and the W12 A Landfill for the smell.
City council unanimously approved spending $90,000 to increase monitoring and compliance of odours, the money will go the province as the ministry of the environment. Currently, all odour complaints must be made to the province. The increased monitoring and compliance will include fines that could rise to $1 million.
Aside from reviewing the possibility of including odour in the nuisance bylaw, city politicians also approved spending $2,600 on an olfactometer called the Nasal Ranger. The device will be used as part of a pilot project running from May 2018 to September 2018.
Council also asked the Middlesex-London Health Unit to provide a health opinion on odours from waste management facilities by September 2018 and has requested Orgaworld re-initiate their public liaison committee or another form of community engagement in order to facilitate further discussion and to strengthen its relationship with area residents.