Residents question health impact of smell from Stoney Creek landfill after air testing comes back clean

Residents of Hamilton's Stoney Creek Mountain remain concerned about the health impacts of a nearby landfill, despite results from recent air quality testing by the city, after what they say have been months of near-daily "unbearable" smells permeating the neighbourhood.

The air-monitoring results, which the city said met standards set by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), were shared earlier this month — just a few days before a public school board committee decided to pause plans of a new school in the neighbourhood.

Kathleen Taylor, who has been living around 1.5 kilometres from the landfill for four years, said she's concerned about her health and that the city's testing was not done at the time of the day when the smells are strongest.

"[The smell] burns our eyes and lungs, gives us headaches," she told CBC Hamilton.

The odour, which Taylor said is like a "more powerful" cat spray, seemingly comes from the GFL Environmental facility on 65 Green Mountain Rd. W. Other neighbours have described the smell as rotten eggs or garbage.

The MECP conducted air monitoring in the summer around the facility. The report was shared with Hamilton Public Health, who stated in an update on Sept. 15 that measurements were below ministry standards.

"No violations were found during the August 2023 monitoring survey period," read the city's report.

The report said hydrogen sulfide — a colourless gas that smells like rotten egg — was the "most likely source" of the smell coming from the leachate pond at the landfill.

One exposure to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide "can cause a long-lasting condition like asthma," according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

However, Hamilton Public Health said there's no imminent public health hazard due to the hydrogen sulfide, as the levels found were very low, at 0.0084 parts per million (ppm), in one instance.

The province's website outlines some guidance around restricting hydrogen sulfide. For instance, in livestock facilities, the province says concentrations of it must not exceed 10 ppm for full-time workers.

But Taylor questioned the testing results.

"The biggest issue with that is that all the samples seem to have been done when it was not very odorous," she said.

The report said testing was done at various times of day, over the course of nine days, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., but Taylor said the smells usually start to get bad after 8 p.m.

CBC Hamilton spoke with other residents of the neighbourhoods around the GFL facility, who also said the smell is worse at night.

"By 10 p.m. it's usually full strength and coming into my house even with windows closed," said Taylor.

Matthew Lawson, Public Health program manager, said public health is not conducting any independent testing, a decision, Taylor said, she doesn't understand considering the amount of money the city receives from the facility.

Kirk Weaver, manager of Budgets and Financial Policy at the City of Hamilton said the city receives approximately one dollar per tonne of waste brought in, which amounted to $1.5 million in 2022.

That money, Weaver said, is goes toward supporting projects that "benefit the former City of Stoney Creek," such as traffic calming measures, support for community events and improvements to recreation assets.

Odour can impact 'quality of life,' says public health

Kimberley Bailey, coordinator for GFL at the Stoney Creek Regional Facility, told CBC Hamilton in an email the facility is "working hard to resolve the concerns raised by the community."

"Progress has been made over the last few weeks to improve the situation and we will continue to investigate additional measures," she said.

But Taylor said she's seen no improvements regarding the smell and, if anything, "it seems to be getting more frequent as of late."

"Mentally and physically, it is impacting our health," she said, and added much of her lifestyle has changed because of the smell, including not being able to get out as much as she used to.

Despite the low levels of hydrogen sulfide, the public health report acknowledged the impact the smell still has on the neighbourhood. 

"While air quality standards are not exceeded, the odour can continue to cause stress and impact enjoyment of property and quality of life," read the report.

Condition 5.17 of the facility's Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA), which states the site "shall be operated and maintained such that vermin, vectors, dust, litter, odour, noise and traffic do not create a nuisance."

The MECP said GFL even though the smell is "creating a nuisance to nearby residents," the company is "actively working" to resolve the issue by implementing measures like removing excess leachate and installing an odour-neutralizing system, among other things.

The ministry has not imposed any fines to GFL relating to the smell, it said.

The facility's website says the landfill receives "solid, non-hazardous residual materials from commercial, industrial and institutional sources."

Ward 9 councillor Brad Clark told CBC Hamilton in August "there's not supposed to be odours," at the facility because nothing there should be allowed to putrefy. 

He added another reason for the smell may be the materials piled high up on the landfill and said the ministry must "look at both issues."

Wheeler said the landfill has a "multi-layer system" that ensures only approved waste enters the facility.

Plans paused for new school next to GFL facility 

At a Finance and Facilities committee meeting on Sept. 20, trustees at the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) decided to pause plans for a new elementary school in Stoney Creek.

The school was to replace the Tapleytown Elementary School, located at 390 Mud St. E. and was planned for the intersection of Green Mountain Road West and First Road West, almost next to the GFL landfill.

 HWDSB Associate Director Matthew Gerard said at the meeting the board will continue the process of approvals with the city, but will pause tender processes following extensive feedback from community members concerned about the smell.

Gerard said the board is pausing the development of the school until they have time to do their "due diligence" into the smell, which includes determining what the "nuisance odour" means for the future of the school.

Todd White, HWDSB trustee for wards 5 and 10, said at the meeting there's "always been a contentious issue" with the landfill.

"With this site, there always tends to be a surprise or a blooper that's unexpected and I think that's the concern that I think people are finally clueing into," he said.