Stench from biosolids in rural B.C. community raises concerns

A resident of Barnhartvale, a rural community in Kamloops, B.C., is worried about the possible health risks associated with the stench coming from biosolids spread at a nearby ranch.

Biosolids are organic materials that come from treated sewageand are often used as fertilizer.

"When it was being applied, it was nauseating.It was overwhelming," said Sarah LaBounty, who lives out on Robins Range Road, across from Buse Creek Ranch.

LaBounty is worried the smell will have negative impacts on her and her family's health. While she knows extensive research has been done on the health effects of biosolids, she doesn't believe enough is known about the long-term implications it may have.

"I lose a lot of sleep about the impact on mine and my husband's health, but mostly [my daughter's] health," she said.

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LaBounty has contacted the owners of the neighbouring property, and they apologized for the smellbut continued to use the biosolids as fertilizer on their land.

Ian Campbell from Buse Creek Ranch said he had no idea the smell would be so strong when he agreed to to use them.

"It was not our intent at all to have that lingering odour."

Campbell said LaBounty is not the only neighbour who has complained about the smell, but, at this point, he said the biosolids have already been applied and there isn't anything he can do to mitigate the odour.

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As for LaBounty's health concerns, Campbell said she has nothing to worry about.

According to Campbell, the land application process to allow biosolids to be spread on a person's land is highly regulated by government officials;Interior Health and the Ministry of Environment both had to sign off on the project before he could go ahead.

"If there was potential health concerns that would be something that would be brought up with Interior Health and the land application would not be approved," he said.

When CBC requested comment from the Ministry of Environment, itdeclined to be interviewed.

With files from Daybreak Kamloops