THE City of Coffs Harbour (CoCH) has been fined a total of $20,000 over poor maintenance of its Englands Road Waste Management Facility.

Allegedly the result of a blocked gas flow line, a strong odour wafted across the city’s south over a fifteen-month period between August 2020 and November 2021.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) investigated the matter after residents of Coffs Harbour reported the stench.

In a statement to News Of The Area the EPA said, “The EPA commenced prosecution proceedings against City of Coffs Harbour for breaching conditions of its Environment Protection Licence.”

The EPA’s investigation found that poor maintenance at the Coffs Harbour Landfill allegedly contributed to odour emissions and community complaints in 2021.

NSW EPA Director Steve Orr told NOTA, “After the EPA’s initial investigation into the odours, we required Council to undertake repair and remediation work on the gas extraction system and to conduct regular gas monitoring, which has significantly reduced the number of detections and odour complaints.

“The community plays an important role in identifying and minimising odours and we thank the community for their assistance in investigating odour and air pollution incidents in their area.”

As well as the fine being applied, the City of Coffs Harbour will pay $40,000 of the EPA’s legal fees.

In a statement made to NOTA, CoCH said, “The City of Coffs Harbour accepts the Local Court outcome for the two offences committed between August 2020 and November 2021, the cause of which has since been rectified.

“The City is required to pay the EPA’s legal costs of $40,000 and its own legal costs; however, the City has insurance to cover much of these costs.”

The EPA has continued to monitor odour emissions from the Coffs Harbour Landfill and encourages the community to report all odour and air pollution incidents in their area to the Environment Line on 131 555.

More information can be found at www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/community-engagement/updates-on-issues/odour-investigations/coffs-harbour-odours.

By Andrea FERRARI