Manchester Stench Has Families Asking State for Help

Residents near the landfill in Manchester said the smell is also impossible to ignore and it’s become such a nuisance to some that they are now asking the state for help.

The stench started a few years ago, but neighbors said this year has been worse than ever, with the smell coming around every few days.

Denis MacLeod lives on Mckee Street, more than a mile away from the landfill, and said she cannot even enjoy her backyard.

“We started to barbecue last night and we were really excited about a rack of ribs, and we had to actually move into the house and put it in the oven because it was just overwhelming,” MacLeod said.

Town officials are still trying to identify the source.

Cheri Eckbreth, who is on the Manchester board of directors, lives in the area affected by the stench and said they are trying to get to the bottom of it.

“To us, it’s a quality of life issue,” Eckbreth said. “It’s not a health issue, but it’s definitely a quality of life issue in Manchester.”

The smell could be coming from the sewage plant behind the landfill. It could also be from the sludge dropped off at the landfill. They do have to cover up the sludge within half an hour of delivery, but some said that is not fast enough.

“If it is coming from that and we can get that under control, then fine,” Eckbreth said. “If not, we’re going to have to look at not taking those deliveries anymore.”

MacLeod said until then, she is keeping her windows shut and she wrote a letter to the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection asking the state to look into it.

Officials from DEEP said they are aware of the odor, but are not investigating just yet.

It is currently in the hands of town officials, who are working on several remedies and doing several tests to try and stop the stench.

Contact Us