Residents of Gelligaer, Nelson and Penybryn have delivered a petition to the Welsh Assembly demanding that a composting site be shut down because of the stench it causes.
The residents are concerned that odours from the waste recycling facility at Bryn Compost Ltd are continuing despite efforts by Environment Agency Wales to address the problem.
During the summer months the stench was so strong that residents could not open their windows for extended periods of time.
As a result residents, led by local Labour councillor Hefin David, met with Labour AM Jeff Cuthbert and staff from the Assembly’s Petitions Committee to present a petition asking for operations at the plant to be suspended until the problem is addressed.
Jeff Cuthbert AM said: “I fully support the position of local residents of Gelligaer, Nelson and Penybryn who have suffered a serious odour nuisance for a number of years. As a result of their persistence Environment Agency Wales has taken limited action but unfortunately the problem remains.
“It seems clear to me that the only practical resource left is for the Environment Agency to suspend all operations at Bryn Compost Ltd until such time as they believe that operations can recommence without this serious nuisance. I will be supporting the residents in their petition.”
Cllr Hefin David said: “Residents are desperate for the smell pollution go away and so are now asking the Assembly to take action to support them. They feel that they have tried everything else possible over the past three years.”