Complaints about ‘Calne Smell’ rocket from four to over 100

Complaints about the ‘Calne Smell’ have rocketed from four a month before Christmas to over 100 last month, according to new figures released by the Environment Agency.

The agency has promised action after being deluged by odour complaints in February.

The smell is a long‑running odour problem in and around Calne, largely linked by government regulators and residents to gas escaping from the Lower Compton landfill site operated by Hills Waste Solutions.

Residents describe the smell as eggy, gassy, stagnant, sulphurous or sewage‑like. The smell is often strong enough to enter homes.

Last summer the agency served Hills with an enforcement notice, ordering the company to finalise a programme of landfill capping, which helps trap landfill gas and reduce odour escaping from the site.

It also ordered Hills to continuously monitor the site with gas‑detection equipment and fix any defects found during those inspections.

And while complaints dropped off in the second half of the year – suggesting capping had initially worked – the agency confirmed complaints were on the rise again.

This week, the agency confirmed it had received four complaints in November and none in December.

Towards the end of January, however, reports began increasing with 16 complaints during the first month. In February, the agency received more than 100.

The agency also said that while last year the smell had been more noticeable in the evenings through to the early morning, and in certain weather conditions, recent reports suggested residents are noticing the smell during the day as well.

“We appreciate that living with odour can be disturbing and stressful,” said the agency in a statement.

“While landfills and other waste activities will always generate smells, the impact on people living near them should be minimal, and the recent increase in odour reports indicates controls may not be working effectively.

“We are working to establish the level of impact on the community, identify specific sources, and ensure action is taken as necessary to bring odour back to minimal levels.”

Residents experiencing odours are urged to report them directly to the Environment Agency via its 24-hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60, or via the website.