| Status | In recovery |
|---|---|
| Incident date | March 2022 |
| Locations affected | Botanic Ridge, Brookland Greens, Cranbourne, Settlers Run |
Incident summary
Since March 2022, we've received a large number of reports from the community about offensive odours coming from the SBI landfill.
Several factors have contributed to odour at the landfill:
- insufficient cover over construction and demolition waste
- one or more blockages in the leachate management infrastructure
- lack of an appropriate risk management and monitoring program (RMMP)
- issues with management of landfill gas extraction.
Too much water entered the landfill and pooled under the buried waste. This increased the amount of odorous landfill gases, which SBI failed to manage. One of these gases is hydrogen sulfide (H2S), often described as having a rotten egg smell. This gas can be produced when solid inert waste decomposes.
The smell can be worse at night or in the morning when the air is still. This is because landfill gases are heavier than air, which means they tend to collect close to the ground. Winter can also make the smell seem stronger because cold, damp weather keeps the odour close to the ground.
The smell can improve when it's windier.
Following our action, SBI is installing and testing improved landfill gas treatment systems. This is likely responsible for the reduced number of offensive odour reports we have received from the community.
Gases have been detected at low levels and are unlikely to cause long-term harm. Get more health information
Our role
As Victoria’s independent environment regulator, our role is to monitor and enforce compliance with the Environment Protection Act 2017(opens in a new window).
We're responsible for making sure businesses prevent or control pollution and improve the quality of the environment. This includes regulating activities that may cause harm to human health or the environment.
Learn about our role in:
We work with government and other authorities to respond to incidents. Learn more about who we work with(opens in a new window).
Health information
Health impacts of odour(opens in a new window) vary based on the level of exposure.
Hydrogen sulfide levels causing the odour at the SBI landfill are low and are unlikely to cause long-term harm. However, exposure to odour can cause short-term physical symptoms, such as:
- sore throat
- eye and nose irritation
- headache
- nausea.
These symptoms should gradually go away once the odour has gone.
Some people may be more sensitive to odours and may have symptoms even when exposed to a low concentration of an odorous compound in the air – for example:
- young children
- elderly people
- pregnant people
- people with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
Offensive odours can also impact people’s mental health and sense of wellbeing, especially if an odour lasts a long time or keeps recurring. If you need help, talk to a doctor, psychologist or mental health support service.
To help minimise your exposure:
- when the smell is noticeable outside, keep your windows and doors closed
- when you cannot smell any odour outside, open your windows and doors to ventilate your house and replace stale air with fresh air.
Report pollution
Help us prevent harm to human health and the environment. If you notice a strong odour in the area, report it to us.
Our response
We're monitoring SBI's compliance with their operating licence and investigating the impacts of odour from the landfill in Cranbourne. We have issued several remedial notices to SBI since August 2022.
Stay informed
For more information, contact us(opens in a new window) or SBI's Community Consultative Committee.
Updated