Offensive odours outdoors can come from many different sources, including sewage treatment plants, abattoirs, landfills and composting facilities. These odours usually most affect people that live close to the source of the odour.
Main odour complaints in Victoria
Source: EPA Victoria odour reports Note: Figure shows the percentage of all odour complaints from April to June 2019. Actual number of complaints are in parenthesis.
Source: EPA Victoria odour reports
Note: Percentage of all odour complaints from April
to June 2019.
The effect on your health
Health effects from offensive odours depend on the type of chemicals that make up the odour and the amount in the air. Usually odour pollution does not cause long-term health effects, but can result in headaches and nausea, as well as significant discomfort and stress.
What can I do?
- Controlling odour at the source of the problem is the most important way to reduce health effects. This means reporting odours from businesses, industry and agriculture to EPA.
- If you feel ill from odours, contact your doctor.