Odour most foul - smelly complaints at Woodstown Beach
The smell may be coming from sea lettuce.
People living near Woodstown Beach are complaining of an off-putting scent, understood to be due to the build-up of sea lettuce.
At the September meeting of the Metropolitan Council, Councillor Declan Barry (Independent) spoke about the foul stench plaguing the area and washed-up oyster beds.
Cllr Barry commented: "Oyster beds were brought in there, I'm going to guess, 12-15 years ago. But I'm asking how many companies are still operating? Are there any companies that have ceased to operate? Have they removed the infrastructure they put in place?"
Cllr Barry said that he found up to 16 oyster cages strewn across the beach.
"Residents there were confined to their houses during the summer months with a horrible odour that was emanating throughout the area, I believe up to a three-mile radius," he said.
"So when the sun was shining, instead of enjoying the beach they had to close their windows and close their doors."
Cllr Barry also said that the local toilets were "not fit for purpose".
A member of the management team told Cllr Barry that the licenses for oyster farms in Woodstown would be issued by the Department of Agriculture.
He stated: "In regards to an odour, we are aware of an issue with the accumulation sea lettuce on the beach there. We've consulted with the HSE and they've confirmed that there's no health risk posed to humans."
Council continue to monitor the environment.
