Odour

 

An odour is a chemical dissolved in the air, generally at low concentrations. Odour is commonly know as a smell and can be both pleasant and unpleasant.

 

Odours can occur from a range of sources:

 

 

The council can take action under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in cases where odour constitutes a statutory nuisance. A decision on whether an odour is a Statutory Nuisance depends on the severity, duration, frequency and whether it interferes with an "average" person's reasonable enjoyment of their property and "not merely according to elegant or dainty modes of living, but according to plain and sober and simple notions."

 

We are however restricted to dealing with the following:

 

 

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When you register a complaint, you will be asked to keep a log sheet over a period of days or weeks, and provide a description of what you can smell, for how long, at what time of day and what the weather conditions were like. We will then use this information to determine if there is any pattern to the problem and then seek to find the cause and resolve the issue.

 

If the odour is found to be giving rise to a statutory nuisance then an Abatement Notice requiring the person responsible to take remedial action may be served. The Abatement Notice will allow time for remedial action to be taken, and in many cases will require the reduction of the odour and not complete removal of all traces of odour.

 

For advice or to report a nuisance contact Pollution Control team.