Smelly Richmond composting facility wants to increase emissions

A composting facility in Richmond, B.C., wants to increase emissions, but some nearby residents say the smells are already overwhelming.

"It's odour, strictly odour. People don't like the smell, it disturbs them, it impacts their quality of life," said Metro Vancouver's environmental regulatory and enforcement services manager Ray Robb. 

Harvest Power's Richmond location accepts food scraps, yard trimmings, and paper products from across the Lower Mainland that it turns into mulch, soil and compost. 

With that process comes a pungent bouquet of smells, complaints about which go to Metro Vancouver.

"We have this process where we can hear from people, hear how seriously it's impacting them, so that we can take those concerns and sit down and negotiate a permit that will address those concerns," said Robb.

Harvest Power says it's not the only odour emitter in Richmond, but it does try to keep smells to a minimum.

"We have a number of controls in place to mitigate odours and control them," said Scott Kerr, the company's regional regulatory compliance officer.

"We follow all the best practices that composters, kind of, apply to their operations."

Company already exceeding limits

Harvest has applied to Metro Vancouver for a new air permit to let it increase its emissions. However, Robb said the company is already exceeding its emission limits. 

"They're seeking the right to discharge the amount they're discharging now," said Robb. "Our job is protect the environment, so we will be negotiating a level that is likely lower than that amount."

Richmond resident Christie Michel hopes it's less. She says bad smells in and around her home in Steveston have exacerbated her asthma and forced her and her husband Rick to run air conditioners.

"One night at three in the morning, I woke up, jumped up and shut the windows because I couldn't breathe," she said.

She said she and her husband have filed complaints with Metro Vancouver, but can't say for certain Harvest Power is the odour offender.

Composting increasing in Metro Vancouver

The controversy comes as people are told to recycle more organics. Metro Vancouver is pushing for all residents and businesses to recycle their food scraps. But with more of those scraps going to compost facilities, there can be more smells.

The Michels say they hope there's a middle ground between between composting and odour.

"I don't want to live with that smell, but I do encourage recycling, I think it's a smart way to go," said Rick Michel. "We've got only so much room in our landfills."

The new licence for Harvest Power could take months, but the company says it will do what it can to keep the smells to a minimum in the meantime.