Neighbours complain of compost smell, operator says facility meets requirements

A North Okanagan compost facility operator says he's doing the best he can, but that it is inevitable there will be smells.

Josh Mitchell says he's heard complaints around the Yankee Flats community, but feels "frustrated" people won't come forward so he can attempt to address their concerns.

Mitchell confirms the Ministry of Environment has been in contact with him regarding the Spa Hills compost facility off Yankee Flats Road, northwest of Armstrong.

Spa Hills offers a food waste and organics pick-up service.

Commercial food waste is now a regulated material in the North Okanagan, and while the mandate is still in the education phase, restaurants and grocery operations must keep waste out of the landfill.

In response to a complaint by Heather & Ian Turner claiming "disgusting" odours emanating from the facility, the ministry says it triages complaints using a risk-based approach for environmental pollution and human health.

"The ministry works under the Environmental Management Act, which defines both 'air contaminants' and 'pollution,'" a letter to the Turners from environmental protection officer Jurgen Deagle states.

"Many odour complaints are regarding nuisance odours. These odours may arise from the decomposition of organic substances, composting of vegetable and animal waste, manure storage, (and) spreading manure on fields in agricultural areas," the email states.

"While some people find these odours unpleasant, they are not necessarily indications of pollution or health impacts."

The email confirms Spa Hills facility was inspected by compliance officers three times in the past four years, and that each time it complied with organic matter recycling regulations.

The ministry says it spoke with the operator "and they are aware of the potential for odours from their activities and are taking additional measures to reduce them. The operator welcomes any impacted neighbours to contact them directly to identify their concerns as there may be mitigations the facility can implement if they know the specific concerns."

The Turners, meanwhile, say they have lived in the area for 35-plus years and are "very used to the smells associated with agriculture and accept them as part of rural living ... What we cannot accept is the putrid stench that is emanating from this facility."

Previous correspondence confirms that an upgrade to screening equipment "should help manage one of the biggest odour causing parts of the business."

Mitchell says that has been the case, and screening is "much quicker now," limiting the amount of time that it can create stronger odours.

But, even so, he says: "We're doing the best we can. I haven't been contacted directly ... I can't do my due diligence if I can't have a discussion."

Mitchell says he now realizes weekend compost spreading last fall may have been more offensive to neighbours, but that he and his family live on the same property, within 300 feet of the compost piles. Other family members also live on the rural property. The next closest neighbours are probably about 500 yards farther away.

"We don't want it to smell, either," he says, "so we try to minimize it."

The Turners say guests and clients at a business event were sickened by the "horrific smell ... Every guest was disgusted. They felt ill and many got headaches."

They say they've seen an increase in eagles, ravens, crows, and coyotes they believe are scavenging from the compost.

They say the business "does not belong in a rural residential neighbourhood operating on land zoned agricultural."

Mitchell, meanwhile, says he's proud of what Spa Hills does.

"It's better for the environment ... society has to deal with this product somehow."

He said he's willing to talk to the neighbours.

"If I knew where they were, if the wind was blowing that way, I could hold off on turning the pile that day," he said.