What's that smell? Moncton officials trying to identify source of north end stench

Residents of Moncton's rapidly growing north end are continuing to raise concerns over a strong, sewage-like smell drifting into the area that makes it difficult to spend time outside.

City Councillor Bryan Butler, who represents Ward 3, said while some strange odours have been noticed in the area over the years — this stench is far worse.

"It smells like manure, that somebody is spreading manure if we were out in the country," he said.

"Some people say it almost makes you vomit, it's so bad."

The suburban north end has traditionally been Moncton's fastest growing neighbourhood, with new subdivisions gradually expanding from Mountain Road out toward industrial operations on Berry Mills Road.

That adjacent area is home to Southeast Eco 360's regional waste management facility, the TransAqua Greater Moncton Waste Water Composting Facility, and some nearby farms.

Source under investigation

Moncton officials are waiting to pinpoint the source before moving forward on action to mitigate the smell. 

Butler said he has an idea of where the smell might be originating, but he doesn't want to place blame until the source is officially confirmed.

"We are keeping track of the people, when they're telling us where they believe it's coming from," he said. "And when we do find out absolute, we will do everything we can to stop it — I can assure you that."

Elaine Aucoin, the city's director of environmental planning and management, said complaints started coming in this summer and she's been in constant contact with provincial officials.

"We do recognize it is an issue. We're working on it," she said.

The New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government is investigating and conducting site visits to pinpoint the source and develop an odour assessment plan.

It did not provide a timeline to CBC News on when that work is expected to be complete. 

Compost facility making changes

TransAqua, which treats wastewater for Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe, is considering modifications to the process at its composting facility to limit odours.

Last year, it upgraded its sewage plant in Riverview to add a secondary treatment process, which removes dissolved organics from the water.

The change means less effluent is going into the Petitcodiac River and 25 to 30 per cent more solid waste is going to the compost facility.

The solids are placed into about 50 piles each year, which are covered for a month and broken down with forced air. Those piles are moved and flipped and are tested after a year to ensure they meet standards. Compost is made available to the public for free.

Kevin Rice, TransAqua's general manager, said an employee who lives in the north end has volunteered to receive and investigate complaints as they come in with a sniff test. Eco360 has also been responding to complaints.

Rice said residents might not be able to detect differences in odour sources themselves. 

"The information I have, based on the investigations to date, is that the odours are not solely attributed to TransAqua," he said. "There are other sources of odours."

Staff have covered some piles that were left uncovered, and have also exposed the piles to more forced air to try to dry out the waste quicker.

TransAqua is also considering the possibility of adding dry lime to control odours.

Drawback of growth

TransAqua's compost facility has been operating since 2005 and the organization said it typically receives one direct odour complaint per year.

Rice said the residential community has grown larger and closer to the facility over the years since it began operating.

"People that are moving closer to the compost facility and the landfill may be more sensitive to these odours and obviously aren't happy with it," he said. "However it's necessary to understand that these facilities have been there for a period of time, they do generate odours and that's just the nature of the process."

He said trucking out waste to an external facility instead could raise costs and increase carbon emissions.

Reports can be made to TransAqua's main phone line at (506) 387-7977.

Butler agrees that the residential area has expanded closer to the waste facilities over the 30 years he's lived in the neighbourhood.

"You can't have a subdivision up against it like this and that smell, it can't work."