Landfill site emissions could be causing an "eggy" pong which has been plaguing a rural town, an investigation by the Environment Agency (EA) has ruled.
People in Calne, Wiltshire, have described the smell as "gassy", "stagnant", "eggy" and "sulphurous". It has been permeating homes, even when windows are closed.
The agency found a site it regulates – Lower Compton Landfill, run by Hills Waste – is producing gas emissions due to infrastructure that needs improvement.
Hills Waste bosses said they have been making improvements, with most now implemented. An EA spokesperson said the odour was not conclusively caused by the landfill site, and investigations continue.
The smell is reported to seep through the area in the early hours.
An EA spokesperson said its officers smelt the "substantiated odour on several occasions" and it was "likely to be landfill gas, from regulated activity in Compton Bassett".
It explained that the gas can contain hydrogen sulphide, which smell like rotten eggs, but does not necessarily mean it is harmful as humans can sniff it out at very low levels.
Regulation includes making sure odours do not leave a site or at least minimise it, while weather conditions can also change what can be smelt.
