Minchinbury odours
We are aware that the community experiences odours around the Minchinbury and Eastern Creek areas from time to time.
We appreciate that odours can be unpleasant and can impact quality of life.
The EPA reviews each report of odour from the community and works to investigate potential sources of odours, such as by conducting odour surveys in the Eastern Creek and Minchinbury areas. Odour surveys are undertaken when meteorological conditions are likely to increase odour impact and during the times that odours are mostly commonly reported in this area.
There are several facilities in the area that may be contributing to offensive odours. The EPA works to ensure odours are appropriately managed. Regulatory action will be taken where required.
Background
Throughout 2021 and 2022, the EPA responded to a significant number of community reports of odour in Eastern Creek, Minchinbury and the surrounding suburbs.
We identified odours being emitted from Bingo’s Dial-A-Dump facility at Eastern Creek during certain periods. The EPA required Bingo to put measures in place to reduce the odour impacts on the community as a priority, including applying restrictions to the company’s Environment Protection Licence (EPL 13426) and taking regulatory action in relation to breaches of legislation.
In 2021, the EPA charged Dial-A-Dump under section 129 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 for emitting offensive odours from its premises. Dial-A-Dump entered a plea of guilty to the charge and was fined $280,000 by the Land and Environment Court.
Odour monitors were installed in 2021 at the premises to detect hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg gas), which was the main odour reported by the community. After the completion of the landfill gas collection and flaring network in 2022, the monitors did not detect levels above the threshold for an extended period. These odour monitors were a temporary measure while works at the landfill were undertaken and were decommissioned in November 2023.
To request historical air-monitoring data, please email [email protected].
Visit Bingo’s Eastern Creek webpage to find more information on their facility. You can also access weekly updates about Bingo’s Eastern Creek site.
Recent regulatory action
In August 2024 the EPA fined Bingo $8,000 for failing to comply with section 129 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 after allegedly emitting offensive odours from its Dial-A-Dump facility in Eastern Creek in late May. Offensive odours were detected and traced to the Eastern Creek site during a planned odour survey by the EPA conducted in response to increased community reports of odours.
Reporting odours
If you are experiencing odours and believe they are originating from Bingo’s Dial-A-Dump facility we encourage you to report this directly to Bingo so that they can investigate potential causes of odour at the time you may experience them.
To contact Bingo call 1300 032 747 or use their contact form.
Community reports can play an important role in our investigation of odours. To report environmental concerns or complaints to the EPA, contact our 24-hour Environment Line on 131 555 or email [email protected]. Information about persistent odour that will assist in our investigation is found on the fact sheet and odour log sheet, which can then be emailed to us.