'Unacceptable rotten egg smell making people ill'
BBCA "rotten egg smell' affecting people living close to a landfill site is reportedly causing breathing difficulties, headaches and nausea.
Thousand of people have complained about the odour in Calne, Wiltshire, since last summer. Leigh Randell, who lives nearby with his wife, said he gets headaches and nausea when the smell gets into his house.
The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed about 1,700 people have complained about the smell in March and April. EA bosses said odour impacts at this level are not acceptable, and the operator Hills must act quickly.
Despite action last year, bosses for the Hills' landfill site in Lower Compton said they have introduced further steps to reduce emissions.
Randell, who described the smell as being similar to rotten eggs, added: "Our little girl is three, and when she's playing outside and the smell appears, her breathing completely changes and we have to take her inside.
"My wife has asthma and she has to use her inhalers a lot more just to help her breathe."
Simone Partner previously told the BBC the smell makes her feel like she is living next to a gas leak.
"I've been waking up with severe headaches; it's been quite frankly awful," she added.
Following months of investigations into the source of the odour, known locally as the Calne Pong, the EA confirmed in June 2025 the landfill was likely to responsible and action was taken.
But in March, the EA received more than 1,000 complaints about the smell, and it has already recorded 700 in April so far.
An EA spokesperson said: "Our recent inspections have found the main source of odour in the area is the current open landfill cell.
"We have also found odour from other sources, such as land spreading, grounds maintenance, and other waste activities."
Dr Alasdair Wood, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South West, told the BBC landfill gas contains hydrogen sulphide, which even in very small quantities produces a strong smell similar to rotten eggs.
He said: "At the levels of hydrogen sulphide currently detected around this site, the health risk is likely to be low, but the Environment Agency continues to monitor levels both around the site and in the wider community.
"The human nose is very sensitive to smell and can detect gases such as this even in very small amounts, well below what would be directly harmful to health. However, strong smells can be deeply unpleasant and affect wellbeing."
An EA spokesperson said: "The community should not have to tolerate odours that significantly affect their environment and officials are continuing to investigate complaints.
"Our position is clear: odour impacts at this level are not acceptable, and the operator must act quickly to resolve the issues."
Following discussions with the EA, Hills said it has changed how waste is covered.
Air atomisers are being deployed to disperse a fine water‑based mist designed to interact with and reduce odour molecules.
The company has also brought forward a plan to cap over areas of the site that have reached their final waste levels. Work is expected to start in May and will continue over the summer.
As part of its longer-term plans, Hills will review the design of new cells to allow more frequent capping and install gas extraction infrastructure in future cells. Capping involves sealing a filled landfill with layers of material such as clay.
Wiltshire Council councillor Sam Pearce‑Kearney said he received up to 200 complaints a day at one point, but changes at the site appeared to be starting to make a difference.
"It feels like there is beginning to be progress.
"People have told me they don't want to move to Calne because of the smell.
"But actually this problem will be resolved, and Calne is a lovely place to be, to live and to work, so I don't want this issue to put people off," he added.
- Additional reporting has been provided by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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