Landfill Likely Cause of Stink in Livermore

LIVERMORE, CA: If you noticed funky odor wafting through Livermore this week, you are not alone. Livermore resident Kerrin Dieter Nuti recently wrote to Patch about the recurring smell.

“It happens once a week and I notice it when I pick up my kids from school downtown around 4 p.m.,” Nuti said. “Today was REALLY bad, like a wet manure smell or something similar. It still smells.”

City officials believe the unfortunate odor was possibly blowing in from the local trash dump.

“I’m told from our Environmental Services Division in Public Works that it’s generally because of the wind patterns coming off the Altamont landfill,” city spokesperson Donna Pontau said.

Officials with the Environmental Services Division in Public Works say the source of the unwanted smell may also be from Vision Recycling, a recycling facility on Greenville Road in Alameda County.

Tamotsu (Mots) Yamamoto General Manager for Vision Recycling said their facility does not generally have materials that tend to smell.

“There currently is no compost facility off Greenville Road,” Alameda County spokesperson Damien Curry told Patch. “There is a chip and grind facility that does process wood and plant material, with a proposal to operate a compost facility using the chip and grind product as feedstock.”

Residents took to the Livermore Patch Facebook page to express their disgust of the revolting smell:

• Billy Phirman: Anyone know why it smells like a dumpster AGAIN outside? It needs to stop.
• Marly Escover: Smelled like the sewer plant.
• Jodi Pedigo Ghere: Smelled it in Springtown, too. It smelled like the dump.
• Julie Cato: It smelled in front of the college and downtown like the dump

This is not the first time residents have struggled with smelly enigmas around town. Last year, the overpowering odor from Springtown pond prompted residents to reach out for answers about the stinky situation.

See Also:

• Pungent Pond Likely Cause of Strong Odor in Springtown

Livermore-Pleasanton Fire officials were not immediately able to comment about whether the unpleasant odor may have had any health implications to the surrounding community.

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