THE stink from Redhill's landfill site is NOT TOXIC, according to Public Health England (PHE).
For more than three months residents in the town and as far afield as Reigate and Tandridge have complained of the putrid smell emanating from the refuse site in Cormongers Lane.
The situation was so bad the Environment Agency (EA) was called in following hundreds of complaints. Officials issued site operator Biffa with an enforcement notice demanding immediate remedial action, and began testing the gases from the landfill for potential health risks.
On Friday, the results of an interim health risk assessment were issued by PHE, which has been analysing the gases for the EA.
Initial results show that levels of hydrogen sulphide and other potentially hazardous compounds in the air samples collected, are not high enough to endanger the public.
The level of hydrogen sulphide in the gas has hit 0.1 parts per million over a 24-hour period. While PHE admits it should be below this, it is well below the health-risk level – one or two parts per million over an extended period.
But residents have claimed the smell is making them ill.
Robie Kamanyire, from PHE, told the Mirror: "The aim is that we want, for the sake of the general public, to keep the level of hydrogen sulphide below that [0.1ppm] over a 24-hour period.
"Essentially, we recognise that individuals may be susceptible to odours and that odours are often perceived to be health risks.
"Odours can cause nuisance and nausea and headache and that is a reaction to odours. The reaction to odours is quite subjective. It can affect an individual's well-being and our advice is the odours should be reduced to as low as possible."
He stressed the situation will still be monitored.
In January, the EA issued Biffa with an enforcement notice to improve after gas was found to be leaking from five sections of the site.
Chris Hazelton, environment manager at the EA, said: "I recognise the significant impact that the Biffa site has had on the local community, and welcome the findings of the PHE health risk assessment.
"Biffa are making good progress in line with the enforcement notice we issued earlier this year, and the infrastructure and gas management work they have carried out has led to a significant reduction in the number of odour complaints we have received.
"We will continue to work with Public Health England, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, and Biffa to ensure that the remaining issues are resolved as quickly as possible."
The EA said it will continue to monitor air quality in the Redhill area in the short term, and is working towards the installation of an air quality monitoring station on the Watercolour estate.
Biffa had not responded to a request for comment when the Mirror went to press.
