Deeside “soggy mop” stench – council’s pollution control team following active “line of inquiry”

The council has provided an update on the persistent and invasive stench – likened to a ‘soggy mop’ or ‘damp, rotting clothes’ – which has been troubling the residents of Deeside for months.

This stench has led to hundreds of complaints and a joint letter from local councillors to Flintshire County Council (FCC), calling for action.

The council’s pollution control team is said to be actively following a “line of inquiry based on intelligence from the community” but has stopped short of revealing what that is.

The odour, which reportedly intensifies around the Chemistry Lane area of Pentre, has been affecting various parts of the community, depending on wind direction.

The relentless smell has significantly diminished the quality of life for residents, compelling them to shut windows and doors, avoid hanging laundry outside, and limit children’s outdoor activities.

Concerns about the health implications of poor air quality have grown, with many residents choosing not to open their windows or allow their children to play outdoors due to the foul smell.

In a letter to Flintshire County Council, a group of 26 councillors, including Deputy Leader Cllr Christine Jones and representatives from Connah’s Quay, Hawarden, Mancot, Shotton, and Queensferry, stated: “We are working as a team to assist our constituents who are significantly impacted by this environmental concern.”

The letter further states that the councillors have received over 300 complaints from residents affected by the intense foul smell, which seems to travel with the wind.

The complaints range from Connah’s Quay to Broughton and Garden City to Ewloe and all areas in between.

A Facebook group has been set up to collate reports from local residents, noting the times and locations where the smell is most potent.

Shotton Town Councillor, Dean Stenner, has been spearheading the effort to tackle the foul odour issue. Writing on his Facebook page, he said:

“We received further correspondence from [Flintshire County Council] Environmental Health.”

“Although there’s no absolute outcome at this stage, we are definitely making progress.”

“I have offered to join their team of officers to help locate the source.”

“I’ll follow this up next week and report back any new info.”

“Please keep reporting as they are using this information on their investigation.”

Marian Davies, Team Manager of Housing and Pollution Control, assured that they are working closely with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to investigate this matter to eliminate potential sources.

Both NRW and FCC officers have and are continuing to review permitted processes in the locations of complaints.

None of the processes reviewed so far have been found non-compliant with their conditions.

Ms Davies also mentioned that they are currently following a line of inquiry based on “intelligence from the community.”

“We are unable to go into any detail at present as this aspect of the investigation has yet to be concluded,” she said.

You can join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/917373942901754/