The Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) is following up on a complaint received from a resident regarding a foul smell in Sarnia's south end.
In an email to Sarnia News Today, MOE spokesman Gary Wheeler said their Spills Action Centre received a call regarding concerns about odours and impacts from lagoons.
It was determined the odour stems from a waste disposal and transfer site on Scott Road, operated by Wessuc Inc.
Wheeler said the site is approved to receive and temporarily store a variety of waste materials that may be considered non-agricultural waste when applied to agricultural land.
It can include a wide range of organic wastes such as treated sewage biosolids, assorted food wastes, and some inorganic wastes.
Wheeler said MOE staff have inspected the area surrounding Wessuc’s Shire Lagoon to check for odours and they conducted additional checks along Confederation Street and Campbell Street.
He said a slight odour was detected near the Sarnia wastewater treatment plant at the time of inspection, but it did not carry to Confederation Street.
Ministry staff monitored the air quality using hand held air monitoring equipment at various locations downwind of the lagoons, and said no odours were detected at that time.
Wheeler said Wessuc will be removing the contents of the lagoon all week.
The company has been applying straw on top of the lagoons as an odour mitigation strategy and is exploring other strategies.