Tumut odours
We are aware of community complaints about odour alleged to be from the Bellettes Landfill near Tumut.
The EPA regulates the landfill that is operated by Tumut Waste Pty Ltd (EPL 20596).
Regulatory update
The most recent complaints followed a power surge that damaged the flare’s computer system.
We are committed to reducing odour impacts on the community as a priority and have undertaken a range of actions including:
- inspecting the site multiple times to confirm the flare was functioning after the shutdown
- investigating odour reports made by the community to identify potential trends, patterns and weather conditions associated with the odour reports. This helps us to undertake targeted surveys and/or inspections during conditions when odours are more likely to occur.
- undertaking odour surveys and inspections pre-emptively and in response to community reports to identify the source of odours and assess compliance with licence conditions
- The EPA is also pursuing legal action in the Land and Environment Court in relation to the emission of offensive odours from the landfill in 2023, with sentencing scheduled for December 2025.
To further reduce odour impacts on the community, Tumut Waste has committed to undertaking works at the site including:
- upgrading the current flare to a larger flare with greater capacity, to future proof the treatment of landfill gas at the premises
- progressively installing additional extraction wells as waste is received, to effectively manage any increase of landfill gas generated at the premises.
Where necessary we will take regulatory action including issuing Penalty Notices, Prevention Notices, Warning Letters, Official Cautions and Pollution Reduction Programs for non-compliance with licence conditions. Our regulatory decision making is undertaken in line with the EPA’s Regulatory Policy.
Background
In late June 2023 the EPA received the first of a series of odour complaints for the Gilmore and Tumut areas where the community were describing the odours as smelling like a rotten egg/sulphur smell.
Since the receipt of the first complaint, our officers have conducted regular in person odour surveys at locations around the facility to determine intensity, persistence, and potential aggravating factors of the odour. Our investigation into the complaints found odours coming from Bellettes Landfill in Gilmore, otherwise known as Tumut landfill.
Tumut Waste Pty Ltd hold an environment protection licence for waste disposal activities at Bellettes Landfill. The licence permits the disposal of non-putrescable waste and waste tyres at the site to an annual limit of 40,000 tonnes per year. The licence and legislation does not permit offensive odour to leave the premises.
Odour monitors were installed in 2023 to detect hydrogen sulphide gas, which was the main dour reported by the community. To request historical air-monitoring data, please email [email protected].
Installation of monitors
Since 14 June 2025, we have received multiple reports of rotten egg-like odours and in response to these community concerns, we installed electronic monitors on 27 June 2025 to detect hydrogen sulphide gas (rotten egg gas) around the facility 24 hours a day. Information from the monitors, along with odour surveys by our officers and odour reports from the community, help us to monitor odour levels at the landfill facility.
How do the monitors work?
The monitors are small (about the size of a litre carton of milk) and automatic. They take an air sample every 10 minutes and analyse it for hydrogen sulphide.
They can detect levels as low as 3 parts of hydrogen sulphide per billion parts of air (ppb), and as high as 2000 ppb.
About half of people can smell hydrogen sulphide at a concentration of around 8 ppb, but some people can smell it at 0.5 ppb while others first smell it at 300 ppb.
The monitors are connected to the existing mobile phone network, and every 12 hours they transmit the data collected to us.
The readings will be updated twice a week and published on this page.
Do the odours cause health impacts?
(Information provided by NSW Health)
People can smell hydrogen sulphide at low levels. About half of people can smell hydrogen sulphide at a concentration of around 8 parts hydrogen sulphide per billion parts of air (ppb). There is variability in this however – some people can smell it at 0.5 ppb while others first smell it at 300 ppb.
Exposure to these low concentrations of hydrogen sulphide may cause irritation to the eyes, nose or throat, and difficulties in breathing in people with asthma. Repeated exposures at these levels can also understandably cause anxiety and distress and result in indirect symptoms such as headaches and nausea.
These effects are likely to be minor and temporary and should stop once the air quality improves.
Hydrogen sulphide once it enters the body does not accumulate as it is rapidly processed in the liver and excreted in the urine.
If residents are concerned about their symptoms or if symptoms persist once the odours have ceased, they should seek advice from their local General Practitioner.
People who work in some industries are at risk of exposure to higher levels of hydrogen sulphide than the general population.
Reporting odours
Community reports can play an import role in our investigation of odours.
Important information on odours can be recorded using the odour log sheet (PDF 160KB).
If you are experiencing odour impacts please contact the 24-hour Environment Line on 131 555 or email [email protected].