Ashton Hall folk fume over stench

Residents of Tom Bend Road in Ashton Hall are demanding urgent action to address what they describe as an unbearable stench emanating from a nearby pig farm.

The foul odour, which they say has plagued the neighbourhood for years, is affecting their quality of life, with some fearing potential health risks due to the area’s designation as a critical water protection zone.

When Barbados TODAY visited the community, one resident said the issue began when sewage was being disposed of in a nearby gully.

A male resident speaking on condition of anonymity said: The gully comes through my property. I was living overseas, and when I came back, I recognised that the sewage was in the gully. I called the police, who said they could do nothing about it. I called the Ministry of Health. The inspector came around, and he said he recognised it as a problem.”

The issue had been resolved but later resurfaced in a different way.

“ The problem continues — a very strong stench in the area and a lot of houseflies. As a result, I wrote to the Ministry of Health, the Chief Health Officer, the Barbados Water Authority, and the Town and Country Planning Department, but none acknowledged my correspondence.”

The resident also raised concerns over the area’s designation as a Zone One water zone, which supplies water to nearby parishes.

“Right across the road from here, there’s a reservoir. Zone One means that buildings and certain operations are prohibited because they take water from underground. If the effluent seeps into the soil and contaminates the water stream, it can create bacterial contamination. Therefore, there are strict restrictions on construction. For instance, I had to build a septic tank with a charcoal filter bed to purify the water before it goes underground.”

The resident stressed that he does not want the piggery shut down but insists the operations must be managed responsibly to prevent harm to neighbours.

“Agriculture and farming can coexist with residential areas, but they must be managed responsibly. We are not saying shut the farm down. We are saying manage it properly so there’s a win-win situation. It’s an investment for the farmer, but they must respect their neighbours.”

Frank Corbin, an elderly man who lives with his ailing wife across from the farm’s gully, said the odour has been a persistent issue for years.

“When the wind blows from the south, we can’t even sit on the back patio. Even if you go to the front, it still affects you. Sometimes the smell is so bad we can’t eat in peace.”

Corbin questioned how the farm was approved to operate in such a sensitive area.

“Having pigs there and not managing the waste properly shouldn’t affect us like this. It is very, very strong. I don’t know how he got permission to have pigs here when I had to jump through hoops to build a tank for water.”

Other residents echoed these sentiments, noting the odour often worsens during meal times.

When Barbados TODAY visited the farm, one of the owners, who also requested anonymity, said he was unaware that the smell was still causing issues.

“A health inspector came a few years ago after complaints, and I built a larger well to resolve the problem. The inspector came every week to ensure the issue was fixed. I also clean the pens twice a day and use a spray to kill odours.”

He assured that steps had been taken to prevent contamination of the water zone.

“The well is cleaned every two to three months. No sewage seeps into the gully. The Ministry of Agriculture and health officials inspect regularly to ensure best practices are followed.”

But the farmer expressed a willingness to engage with residents.

“If they tell me specific times they notice the smell, I can adjust my cleaning schedule to address the issue. I’m open to suggestions to make the situation better.”

(LG)