Ełk has been struggling with the problem of odours since 2013. The problem has been repeatedly reported to the Inspectorate of Environmental Protection, because as a The inspection authority has the authority to carry out the necessary measurements and tests, including sampling or other control activities the state of the environment and the assessment of this state in the light of environmental protection regulations.

This year, the situation has worsened themselves. The stench is already felt throughout the city, m.in. in the following housing estates: Konieczki, Baranki, Tuwima, and even in the very center. In In this regard, letters have been sent to a number of bodies and institutions in the a request to take effective measures to eliminate odour nuisance.

The main body set up by the the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection is responsible for controlling compliance with environmental protection regulations and for examining and assessing the state of the environment Environment. Therefore, both last year and in May this year a request was made to carry out an intervention inspection potential odour emitters, identifying two potential companies: Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki Odpadami Eko-Mazury Sp. z o. o. (Siedliska) and Energoutil Sp. z o.o. (Nowa Wieś Ełcka).

Not knowing the sources of emissions odours were also requested to carry out inspections of agricultural holdings located in the (rural) Municipality of Ełk, in particular entities conducting agricultural production, and entities conducting activities in which animal manure is stored or used in the Fertilizers.

Inspection carried out by the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection in the area of two potential emitters has not exhausted the full range of powers that the odour emitter has organ. The odor nuisance was examined only on one day in the hours of during the inspection, no excessive nuisance was found related to the entity's activities. No studies have been conducted to analyse the emissions of gases and dust introduced into the air in terms of the
air from installations located on the premises of the company. The Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection has necessary measurements or tests, to take the necessary measurements or tests, to take samples or perform other control operations, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. Effect the inspection, despite the finding of many irregularities, was only to impose a financial fines, which is why a letter was sent to the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection with a request to join the issue of odours in the Ełk and the verification carried out by the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection in Olsztyn Giżycko audits of two companies: Waste Management Company Eko-Mazury Sp. z o. o. and Energoutil Sp. z o.o.

The above activities have had an effect in terms of in the form of another inspection by the Eko-Mazury Waste Management Company Sp. z o. o., this time with the use of professional measuring equipment for the detection and identification of gaseous chemical pollutants. In two out of five sampling points showed emissions of substances included in the storage of landfill gas from the active landfill site operated by PGO Eko-Mazury Sp. z o. o.  Bearing in mind that odour nuisance do not come only from the direction of Siedliska, the City Hall will apply for Carrying out spectrometer inspections also in the vicinity of Energoutilu Sp. z o.o.

Issued At the same time, an application was made to the Head of the Ełk Commune, because both enterprises, are located in the Municipality of Ełk, with a request to carry out inspections of the above undertakings to implement the conditions set out in the Decision-Making Decision environmental conditions issued by the Mayor. According to the regulations, the authority, which has issued the decision on environmental conditions, may carry out a control of its implementation. In addition to the inspection, a request was made to for re-verification and analysis of the provisions contained in the decisions issued in the full identification of emission sources and analysis of compliance with emission standards air quality.

The letter sent to the Marshal Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship concerned a request to carry out inspections of enterprises in the scope of the implementation of the specified in the decisions of integrated permits issued by the Marshal of the Voivodeships. According to the information obtained from the Marshal, inspections and The inspections were carried out at the beginning of July this year. Additionally The Marshal is to transfer the case to the field office of the District Station Agro-Chemical Authority in order to carry out agricultural soil tests in the field of fertilisers used by farmers.

A letter was also sent to the the Starost of Ełk with a request to intensify the control of enterprises (both in the city of Ełk and in the Municipality Ełk), releasing gases and dust into the air, as the competent authority in these matters is the starosta.

The Mayor of Ełk also addressed request to the District Sanitary and Epidemiological Station and to the Director of the Regional Water Management Authority in Białystok to carry out an inspection of the wastewater management in Energoutil Sp z o.o. There were concerns that the company was managing the generated waste in a manner contrary to the regulations. industrial wastewater, which may contain substances that are particularly harmful to the aquatic environment.

The president also informed about the case law enforcement agencies: the District Prosecutor's Office in Ełk, the Provincial Police Headquarters in Olsztyn and the District Police Headquarters in Ełk.

The Minister of Climate and Environment has been when the government will take legislative action to ensure that the counteracting the occurrence of odour nuisance. Related Inquiry were addressed to the Marshal of the Sejm, the Marshal of the Senate and the Deputy Marshal of the Senate.

Last check carried out by the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection indicated that the emission of pollutants from the active landfills of municipal waste Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki Odpadami Eko-Mazury Sp. z o. o. This shows that, despite the measures taken by the company to reduce the nuisance of the generated by the company, they are still insufficient.

City government Ełk, both the legislative one, i.e. the Ełk City Council, and the executive one, i.e. The Mayor of the City of Ełk has no decision-making power and the only thing that can be done is appeal for the President of Przedsiębiorstwo Gospodarki Odpadami Eko-Mazury Sp. z o.o. to take action. o. further actions aimed at eliminating odour nuisance.

We cannot forget about the residents of the Baranki Housing Estate, where A potential source of odour is the company Energoutil Sp. z o.o. Due to the fact that the company is a private company, local government officials have limited possibilities of action. Despite this, the municipal government will continue to be active and requests will be made to the Provincial Inspectorate of Environmental Protection for carrying out inspections on the premises of Energoutil Sp. z o.o. with the use of professional measuring equipment for gas detection and identification chemical pollutants. The mere detection of harmful emissions in the may not be sufficient to draw consequences against the emitter, as there is still no standard, defining the reference methodology for measuring odour concentration and normative determining the permissible concentration of odours in residential areas.

About the adoption of a law that would protect residents from surrounded by odours from various types of plants and installations has been discussed for years, but the actions taken by the Sejm or the Senate are not visible. Back in 2017. the then Ministry of the Environment informed that "work on the Odour Act are coming to an end." However, so far the regulations in this area have not been adopted. That is why we appeal to all MPs in our region to start working legislative measures aimed at counteracting the nuisance of the fragrance. It is necessary to introduce the concept of odour nuisance and implementation of provisions giving public administrations the power to reducing or eliminating odour nuisance.

At the same time, the Mayor of Ełk he has repeatedly conducted talks and submitted applications to PGO Eko-Mazury Sp. z o. o., as well as taken up this subject during the Assembly of the Inter-Municipal Association "Gospodarka Komunalna" and at the Board of Directors Association of Polish Cities. He also held talks with the Director of the Department Environmental Protection of the Marshal's Office of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship and the Forest Inspector of the Ełk Forest District. The Mayor of Ełk also met with Head of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection of the Branch in Giżycko and with the head of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Inspectorate for the Protection of Environment in Olsztyn.

Taken activities do not end the work in the direction of removing the presented problem. The local government will reach for administrative measures to eliminate or eliminate the risk of significantly reduce nuisance.

REMARK! A full scan of the documents concerning the odour case will be available on this website from 24 July.