Composting operators based in the Swanbank Industrial Area and surrounds are making the lives of thousands of Ipswich residents a misery, according to the Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard and Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum.

“This is not news for Ipswich people, especially those living in Raceview, Flinders View and Ripley,” Ms Howard said.

“Whenever I hold a mobile office in those suburbs, it’s the number one issue raised with me and I know it has been for decades.

“Former political satirist Wil Mitchell did a sketch on Swanbank odours for The Queensland Times as far back as 1997 – more than 23 years ago!”

Thousands of people are now living even closer to these operators with the rapid developments occurring in Ripley.

Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum said: “The Odour Abatement Taskforce, established more than two years ago by the Palaszczuk Government, has done a good job in collecting data and speaking directly to residents as well as issuing over $92,000 in fines against operators and I applaud the work they’ve done – but we need more.

“This Saturday, the OAT will be at Town Square Redbank Plains from 9am to 4pm and I encourage locals to go and chat directly to them to share their stories.

“It’s important for locals to know that there are only two composting businesses in the Swanbank Industrial area.

“Those two operators and another composting business outside the area are the operators that have been fined by the OAT for creating these disgusting smells that affect our community.

“These operators are causing untold misery to Ipswich residents by not complying with modern expectations of how composting businesses should operate.

“That’s why we are again calling on the Minister for the Environment, Leeanne Enoch, to get the Regulator to review the environmental conditions for the approvals of these composting businesses as well as invest in additional state of the art monitoring facilities to immediately pin point odours and issue penalties.

“It’s seems these operators aren’t going to change their behaviours unless we impose even harsher conditions on them.”

Ms Howard added: “There are innovative technologies available that these operators could invest in to eradicate the odours completely and if they don’t want to spend the money, then they need to leave town.”

Ipswich residents can discuss their concerns regarding the odours with the OAT directly at their upcoming pop-up stalls:

9am – 4pm, Saturday 19 September: Town Square Redbank Plains

9am – 4pm, Tuesday 22 September: Ripley Town Centre

9am – 5pm, Saturday 26 September: Collingwood Park Shopping Village