Dead-Fish Odor Triggers Lawsuit Over Compost Site in Pepperell, Massachusetts

A 20-acre property on the Nashua River in Pepperell, Massachusetts, began operating a composting facility that includes fish remains such as skeletons, crabs and shells. Residents have described the resulting odor as “nauseating,” “wretched” and “overwhelming.” The town plans to file a lawsuit in Middlesex County Superior Court scheduled for July 16, accusing the owner of violating local zoning rules that prohibit composting without a state exemption and of breaching air-pollution regulations. The town also intends to impose $300-per-day fines pending compliance. Both parties have agreed to a temporary injunction that requires the owner to halt all composting activities and remove waste by September 28, at which point the fines will be suspended.

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The municipality’s filing asserts that the site does not meet Pepperell’s zoning criteria and that the odor constitutes a public nuisance. The injunction obliges Somma to cease composting and clear the piles by the September 28 deadline.

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A resident who emailed the town in June wrote that the stench makes it impossible to greet the day and warned that the problem could worsen if left unchecked. Neighbors report that the odor disrupts daily life and has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of environmental standards.

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• “I would describe it as the worst smell you get at the seashore, with the low-tide dead fish kind of smell,” — Andrew MacLean, the town administrator

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• “You get a whiff and it’s like ‘Oo.’” — Andrew MacLean, the town administrator

The Independent