Air fresheners in stinky Parliament station being removed

At least 22 air freshenersnormally intended for bathroomsat the Parliament LRT station, notorious for its sewage-like smell, will be removed.

On Thursday, CBC found 12 of the continuously running fresheners installed above the westbound and eastboundplatforms, while 10 more were attached topillars and ceilings around the station and in the tunnels.

CBC reached out to the City of Ottawa and Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) Thursday afternoon for comment about the installation of the air fresheners, including when and why they were installed.

Friday morning, after CBC published its stories, OC Transpo general manager John Manconi said he'd asked they be removed immediately.

City media relations had said the LRT's maintenance company RTMwould answer questions. RTM has not yet responded.

For citizen transit commissioner Sarah Wright-Gilbert who raised the issue of the station's stomach-turning sewage smell at a transit commission meeting in December the air fresheners don't go far enough, however.

"I'm concerned that they're now pumping artificial scent and chemicals into the station. That's not helpful," Wright-Gilbert said Thursday.

"Masking the problem is not a solution. Finding the source of the problem and solving that that's the solution."

Advisories needed

Riders have complained about a foulodour at Parliament station for months, with Twitter user @LRTstankbringing it upin a tweet in October.

Wright-Gilbert said she hasn't been in the station recently, but knowing there are air fresheners installed would lead her to avoid the station.

She saidartificial smells can trigger herasthma andheadaches.

"I'd like them to advise the public of that because people can get really sick if they are sensitive to scents," she said.

CBC did not see any type of warnings posted about the fresheners.

Designed for low ceilings, good airflow

The air freshenersare made by Citron Hygiene and appear to be the company'sEcoAire model. This model, according to the manufacturer's website, works bestin washrooms with one to five toilet stalls.

The ones installed in Parliament station providea sweet, citrusy smell.

"The EcoAire ... isan ideal choice for rooms with low ceilings and good airflow," saysCitron's website.

• Parliament station stinks, and so does the secrecy about what's causing it

In December, the city made repairs to a sewer line near Parliament station in an effort to close a leak discovered in August that wasthought to be onecause of the stink.

At the time,the city said it could not promise the fix would eliminate the smell. As of Thursday, in areas a few metres away from the air fresheners, the station continued to have amusty odour.