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A Christchurch man believes his worsening asthma, persistent lung infections and hospitalization may have been caused by a nearby compost processing plant.
Gordon Fullard moved into a house in Bromley, east of Christchurch, about 600 meters from the Living Earth composting plant about three years ago. You think your pre-existing asthma has gotten worse since you moved.
He has also struggled with a number of lung infections since the move, including one that landed him in hospital for four days and was initially suspected to be Legionnaires’ disease.
Dean Kozanic / Stuff
Gordon Fullard, right, in 2012 after his Avonside home was out of the red zone.
The site is run by Living Earth but owned by the Christchurch City Council. The staff of the council said there was evidence that was plant causing health problems and noted a letter of 2015 of the Board of Health of the District of Canterbury indicating that there was no evidence of any disease associated with living in the area of Bromley or any facility in the neighborhood.
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Fullard wants the composting plant closed. The plant has been the subject of many complaints from locals about bad smells that have persisted for almost a decade. The locals have described the smell as “vomit and dead animals”, “rotten fish” and containers.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
The Living Earth composting plant in east Christchurch, seen here in January, is the source of a foul odor that plagues the suburb of Bromley.
Christchurch city councilors will consider a $ 17.5 million upgrade plan for the plant this week to address ongoing odor issues.
Fullard, 65, said the plant should be rebuilt away from urban areas.
He said he was not sure that the composting plant was the direct cause of the worsening of their asthma and lung infections, but his health had deteriorated since moving near the facility.
“Unless you did the proper research, you couldn’t say it 100%, but all I can say is that I have never been so affected by asthma,” he said.
JOSEPH JOHNSON / Things
City council staff recommended a $ 17.5 million upgrade to the composting plant to stop odors.
“I was under control, but since I lived here it has not been. It is the first time I’m in the hospital for something.
“The smell is bad enough, but when it affects your health it is different.”
He said it was frustrating that no steps had been taken earlier to address odor issues at the plant.
“For me personally, it is a risk to health and safety. I can do things I could do before, like mowing the lawn.
“I can not do anything energetic because I run out of breath.”
Joe Johnson / Stuff
The plant is owned by the City of Christchurch and operated by Living Earth.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation medical director Stuart Jones said he did not know the details of the case, but that, in theory, a composting plant could make neighboring residents’ asthma worse.
Processing compost could create high levels of Aspergillus fungal spores, which could make asthma worse, he said.
“If you are sensitive to those fungal spores, that could trigger inflammation in your airways and make asthma worse.
“Inflammation would also make people more vulnerable to other bacterial lung infections.”
Chest doctor Adrian Harrison believed that it was unlikely that fungal spores or bacteria from the plant could cause lung infections, but strong odors could trigger asthma.
“That doesn’t sound like a local infection to me. That sounds like a remote possibility amazing ” he said.
“I don’t know of any science to support that.”
Joe Johnson / Stuff
Organic waste from the Christchurch City Council green bins is composted at the Bromley plant.
The manager of resource recovery advice, Ross Trotter, said the plant was safe.
“There is no evidence that the facility has any impact on the physical health of personnel on site or residents downwind of the facility,” he said.
He pointed to a 2015 letter from Canterbury Medical Health Officer Alistair Humphrey stating that there was no evidence of any disease associated with the plant.
All material that enters the plant went through a rigorous process to reduce pathogens, he said.
“This process kills any pathogens that are harmful to humans. The operator also tests each batch for pathogens to ensure this process has been accomplished. “
The facility uses water sprinklers, tree lines at the boundary, height limits on compost piles, and on-site speed limits to prevent dust from traveling past the plant. Dust meters at the site showed that these measures were working, he said.
A spokesperson for Environment Canterbury said they had not conducted any air quality checks around the plant, but had done an odor check.
