MOUNT COMPASS - Over 1000 tonnes of landfill has been trucked into the yard of the Landmark Store at Mount Compass, as part of the company’s response to complaints about odours coming from its store of creosote treated logs.
“We are going to extend the length of the yard,” said Landmark’s regional manager, Steve Mellington.
“This will mean we can move the logs an extra 50 metres away from the school.”
On December 18, The Times reported that Ron Eadie, a parent with four children at the nearby Mount Compass Area School, had raised concerns about the odours of the creosote logs and questioned whether they posed a health risk to students.
Mr Mellington said that while Landmark did not dispute that the logs emitted an odour, the company vigorously denied there was any link between the fumes and a risk to public health.
“There is certainly no evidence of any risk,” he said.
He said the health department had visited the site at the same time as the Environment Protection Agency but had not found any problems with the logs.
Mr Mellington said once the earthworks were completed, Landmark would remove the logs to the rear of the extended property and would plant a vegetation barrier next to the front fence, to try and prevent the smell from reaching the school.
“We will also be keeping the number of logs stored at this site to less than 1000 and only bringing in older logs (which emit less of an odour),” he said.
Mr Mellington said both he and the manager of the Mount Compass Store, Darren Sicheri, would be more than happy to talk to any parents or residents with concerns about the logs.