Residents of Ełk are concerned problematic "smell" that has not left our country for some time city. In connection with this problem, the Mayor of Ełk met today (11 June) in the town hall with representatives of the local media, in order to provide updates on the actions taken by the city in this area On.

The problem of odour nuisance in Ełk appeared since 2013. Its source were plants/enterprises outside the administrative borders of the city. Residents submitted their comments on this subject the city of Ełk and neighboring towns in the Ełk commune. At that time unpleasant smells reached the residents of the Jeziorna and Surrounding areas.

However, since last year, the nuisance odour-related have increased and have become a significant part of the A problem for residents in almost every area of the city, in particular on Os. As a result, the local government of the city of Ełk has taken an intensified their requests and requests for inspections. In view of the that the odour does not come from the city with the competent authorities in the this respect are, among others, the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.

"We have submitted requests to carry out intervention inspections and we have responses from these institutions. About the results inspections carried out by the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection have already been informed. For me Personally, as a resident of Ełk, this information is not satisfactory. The letter shows inspections carried out in Energoutil and Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki EKO-Mazury did not show any irregularities or exceedances in the entitlements (…) We expect stronger action in terms of rapid response and control in a situation when a problem arises" - said the Mayor of Ełk Tomasz Andrukiewicz.

"As the city government, we do not have effective tools for the implementation of actions towards various types of entities, e.g. farmers and other institutions that are located outside the city of Ełk (...) Appear information that puts the city or the mayor in opposition to the residents. I protest against such action. As a resident of the city of Ełk, I am particularly keen to clarify this matter as soon as possible (...)" - added the mayor of the city.

The information obtained m.in from Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection shows that there is currently no Poland of an anti-odour law that would define the standards of emitted odours. Only In February this year, actions related to the anti-odour law were taken by the Ministry of Climate. The Mayor of Ełk requested the adoption of such a law and its implementation in 2013 by the local government to parliamentarians and the Sejm and 2016. In 2017, there was information that they were coming to an end. On the other hand, with due to insufficient intensified activities, some time ago the mayor of the city asked the Minister of Climate to present a schedule for the adoption of such a law and declared his participation in the work on it. Thanks to the Act and established standards, institutions will be able to effectively seek specific Action.

In addition, in mid-May, the mayor of the city sent a letter to the further applications to the authorized authorities: to Polish Waters, the Head of the Ełk Commune, District Sanitary and Epidemiological Station, to the District Prosecutor's Office in Ełk, to the Provincial Police Headquarters and the District Police Headquarters in Ełk, to Ełk Starosta, Veterinary Inspection, Marshal of the Voivodeship and Ministry of Climate, the Speakers of the Sejm and the Senate to take effective measures to to identify and eliminate odour sources in accordance with the competences held by the and legal tools in this matter. Several applications were granted answers, while most of them appealed to the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection.

From the information that we also have PGO has taken steps to determine the sources of odors Due to the fact that they are of the opinion that they are not the only plant in this part of the region that can cause odour emission.