Moorooka, Salisbury Air Quality: EGR Factory Making Sick Locals

It's been four years since residents of the suburbs of Moorooka and Salisbury in Brisbane began complaining about a stench from EGR, a plastics factory on Evans Rd in Salisbury.

The factory was forced to conduct an environmental investigation in 2014, which eventually led the company to transfer part of its manufacturing to Darra, 14 kilometers southwest of Brisbane's city center.

But now the villagers are in trouble again, insisting that the smell of "cat p ** s" is leaving their children sick.

Yesterday about 100 villagers took to the streets to protest the factory, holding posters saying "Stop the Fedor".

The local Liz O Neill, who lives in Moorooka with her four children, was one of the demonstrators.

"Skin specialist after skin specialist was saying it was exposure to something," said Ms. O & # 39; Neill to 7 News.

"We go away for three weeks to Caloundra and everyone is perfect. We come back and all the symptoms come back.

Ms O'Neill has filed hundreds of complaints with the City of Brisbane since 2014 and has recently published photos of her son Tim with inflamed eyes and itching.

"We built this beautiful house specifically to catch the breeze and now it happens," said Ms. O & # 39; Neill Southern city news .

"I developed sinus problems, which recently turned into pneumonia, my husband had a huge foot problem that took months to go away, my daughter often wakes up with black mouth and burning eyes and my eldest son on many mornings can not open their eyes because they are flowing. "

Amanda Wall, spokeswoman for the Salisbury Moorooka Harmful Odor Action Group (SMNOAG), was also in protest last weekend.

"People say that it makes them vomit, leaves nausea, gives headaches, makes breathing difficult. People are having eczema because of it, "she said.

"We have a high impact industry that is allowed to operate less than a mile away from homes and sensitive areas such as daycare centers and schools."

Complaints about the factory make the news every two years – this time the stench made headline after 11 different residents contacted the City Council of Brisbane in one day.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said he was ready to see the EGR penalized if they were not following the law.

"This has been a problem that has occurred before, it is regrettable that this has spread again and if there are crimes being committed, I fully support the penalties," Bailey told reporters.

"I look forward to it being resolved as soon as possible, especially with Christmas coming."

In a petition of change.org initiated by SMNOAG, the group implored to the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to commit to a revision of the factory.

"Residents are expected to breathe air that causes symptoms such as asthma, vomiting, eczema, and eye and bowel irritation; or keep windows and doors closed and their children indoors for extended periods of time, "the petition says.

"The council and state government have repeatedly failed with residents by allowing planning decisions to be made on this site and negatively affect well-being.

"Some residents report mental stress and worry about breathing in the odor. In some cases, people have been forced to leave their homes until the odor disappears, or to terminate their contract or sell and move away. "

Attempts were made to contact the EGR for comments.

Originally posted as an Australian suburb dealing with bad smell