High levels of sulfur-linked pollutants detected around Hamilton's stinky dump, city to look at health impacts

The city will look into what health effects residents living near a dump in Upper Stoney Creek could be facing, after air testing showed high levels of pollutants linked to sulfur at the location.

Hamilton councillors voted unanimously for staff to look into it further at a general issues committee meeting Wednesday. 

People living close to the GFL facility, on 65 Green Mountain Rd. in Ward 9, have been complaining since April 2023 about a consistent, at times overwhelming, rotten egg-like smell coming from the dump.

A motion by Ward 9 Coun. Brad Clark says an air monitoring report found there were total reduced sulphur compounds (TRS) levels more than above the provincial standards. On at least one occasion, it was 17 times greater than the provincially accepted level. 

The tests were conducted by the Hamilton Air Monitoring Network and brought to Clark's attention by the neighbourhood group STAND for Stoney Creek.

The monitoring took place over 10 hours on July 3 and found levels of TRS compounds as high as 177.6 parts per billion (ppb) over one hour. The provincial criteria is 10 ppb.

TRS is a mixture of pollutants that have sulfur in its reduced state. 

According to Environment and Natural Resources Canada, long and repeated exposure to TRS can cause long-term health concerns like nausea, fatigue, vertigo, conjunctivitis, loss of smell, visual impairment, memory loss, headaches and "severe neurological effects."

As directed by council, staff will also look at an increase of respiratory distress-related 911 calls in Ward 9 between 2019 and 2024. The motion says that, in the ward, there were between 247 and 304 calls in 2019-2021, 438 calls in 2022, 208 calls in 2023 and 384 calls in 2024.

Constant odours weren't a problem until 2023

Danielle Raule, who lives next to the dump on Green Mountain Road, said she's experienced headaches and nausea she believes are linked to the overwhelming smell. 

She's been living next to the GFL facility for five years, but it wasn't until 2023 that she started dealing with the stink, which she said started "slight" and suddenly went to "full-blown intoxicating smells every single day."

The smell was similar to cat pee and rotten garbage, Raule said. 

Other neighbours have previously described the smell to CBC Hamilton as "rotten fish-like," "sulphuric," and "chemical," and similar symptoms as Raule.

Raule was audibly frustrated and, at times, emotional while speaking with CBC Hamilton this week about her experience. She has two children aged eight and 12 who she says are sometimes not allowed to play outside because of the smell.

She said some people have blamed the community for "moving next to a dump," when the smells weren't a problem until 2023. 

"I don't think that anybody who moves near a dump is less or unworthy of any of … the basic quality of air," she said.

Raule said she's looking to move, but finding a place her family can afford has not been easy.

"I want to get out of here for my kids. I don't want them to have any future effects," she said.

Ministry says they're 'aware' of ongoing issues

Lindsay Davidson, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks told CBC Hamilton in an email they are "aware of these multiple exceedances."

"The ministry is reviewing all available monitoring data and the circumstances surrounding these exceedances. Based on these findings, the ministry will determine if further compliance actions are warranted," Davidson said.

GFL was charged with 10 violations under the Environmental Protection Act related to its stinky dump earlier this year.

The MECP said previously the smell is due to leachate, a chemical stew of potentially toxic liquid, that came up while building a new landfill cell.

CBC Hamilton reached out to the Stoney Creek GFL facility but did not hear back before publication. 

Staff to redo report on potential financial relief

On Wednesday, in a rare move, councillors sent back a staff report about whether the city should offer "property tax relief or area rating options" to those living in a three-kilometre radius of the dump.

Staff had recommended not doing so. 

Clark, who had requested the report in February, told staff he was "disappointed" and that it contained several inaccuracies including the number of odour complaints against GFL — he said it was much higher than staff reported — and the length of time the dump has been operating.

Staff had also assessed different home values to determine if odours had or hadn't affected resale values. Clark said the locations they chose weren't close enough to the dump to draw any meaningful conclusions.

"This is the first time in my political careers where I'm voting not to receive a report because of the inaccuracies in the report," said Clark.

He said residents were "infuriated" by the report.

"I don't know how to describe this except to say 'put yourself in the shoes of the residents that live there,'" said Clark.

Mike Zegarac, general manager of finance and corporate services, apologized to the community for the report and asked that it be referred back, which was done unanimously.