Smell complaints to Metro Vancouver up from last year - Action News
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Smell complaints to Metro Vancouver up from last year

If you think Vancouver's been stinky this summer, you're not alone. Bad smell complaints to Metro Vancouver are up compared to last year.

'It smells like vomit': complaints of bad smells up in Metro Vancouver

Compost and animal processing plants to blame for summertime stink in Metro Vancouver. (Pete Scobie/ CBC)

If you think Vancouver's been stinky this summer, you're not alone. Bad smell complaints to Metro Vancouver are up compared to last year.

Mai Aokiworks in East Vancouvernear ananimalrendering and oil disposal facility which is also close to a fish processing plant and a chicken processing plant where she says, "it smells like vomit."

2 mainsources for stinky smells

Those aren't the onlyfacilities raising a stink.

"We have two major sources of odours in Metro Vancouver," explained RayRobb,managerof environmentalregulation and enforcement forMetro Vancouver.

"One is a composting digestion facility in Richmond.Another is a rendering plant in Vancouver."

Metro Vancouver has investigators who look into each complaint made about smells. (Peter Scobie / CBC)

Troy Zackowski also lives near the animal processing plant.

"It stinks in the summertime.It always stinks ... definitelyamplifieswith the heat."

Robb says there were around 700 complaints of bad smells in all of 2015. This summer there are already more than 600.

Investigators can track down source of stench

"Our belief isodours are diminishing over time, but people are becoming more aware of odour sources," said Robb.

Ray Robb with Metro Vancouver says the number of smells might not be up but people's tolerance to smells might be down. (Dan Imbeault/ CBC)

"They might not complain for awhile, but a couple of years of the same smells year after year, they're connecting the dots and realize there's a source in their community that's causing the odours, and they complain."

Each call Metro Vancouver receivesabout a particular stench is investigated.

Robb says he has a team that usuallymanages to track down thesource.