Neighbor's Dumpster Smell Fills Up Our Home

[purplepisces]

My question involves real estate located in the State of: Brooklyn, New York

Yeah, ewww. My parents closed on a house about two months ago ( I live with them ). Our neighbors, a nursing home and rehabilitation center, has a HUGE dumpster directly outside the fence from our yard and the stench, on most days, fills up our entire house. This is something we *did not* notice at the viewing of the house 1.) I guess we saw the house at a time when the dumpster was empty(?) and 2.) the house was completely gutted so it smelled new, at the time. Also, my parents put in the paperwork at the first viewing and we didn't get to really see the place again until we moved in.

However, since we moved in, the smell is almost unbearable. Our building had been vacant for several years prior to us moving here and we are pretty much the only direct neighbors being affected by the horrible stench; no one was here to complain about it.

My question is, I know the nursing home probably has a right to have their dumpster there if they're paying for it but don't we ( my parents ) have a right, too, not to have this offensive odor invading our yard and permeating our home, nose and bodies? It's to the point of nausea & headaches. Bleh. Seriously... help.

We just moved here - we don't want to start complaining over something if we can't help the situation.

Thanks! I hope this question is in the right place.

[Mr. Knowitall]

There are potential health issues involved, depending upon what they're disposing in the dumpster - the dumpster may well include "regulated medical waste" (NYC Admin Code Sec. 16-120.1, subjecting it to more stringent rules on storage and disposal). If they are disposing of inappropriate materials in their dumpster, and that's contributing to the smell, it's a potential issue for an air quality complaint, or for investigation by the Department of Sanitation or Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

If not, and this is a run-of-the-mill smelly dumpster, there are still steps the nursing home can take in the interest of being a good neighbor - such as using a trash compactor with an ozone injector - although I don't know to what extent the city will educate, facilitate, or pressure the facility about implementing such a solution.

If you're from NYC you know that part of city life is encountering the smell of garbage, albeit preferably not in your living room.

[purplepisces]

Thanks, Mr. Knowitall. I agree, growing up in New York, there are bad smells everywhere but this insidious stink is a little too close for comfort.

I have no idea what they're putting in there - this particular smell has been hard to identify. We have seen several rats in our yard though, we caught two so far, and there are many rat burrows.

I will definitely look into making a complaint via the resources you shared because I do, strongly feel that there are potential health concerns regarding this issue.

Oh, boy... and it's not even summer yet. We're going to need gas masks.

[BenT]

I am thinking that NYC . GOV has an agency to deal with commercial dumping of waste. Seriously, you're not being a bad neighbor by letting the operators know that the fumes from the dumpster are making it unsafe for you. The operators get to go home to their homes at night, while you have to smell the swill all day and possibly all summer long. This site may be of use: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/air...ed_forms.shtml

Additionally, this pdf probably has something related to commercial garbage: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/air/...y_schedule.pdf

[purplepisces]

Thanks so much BenT!. I think so, too. we shouldn't be considered bad neighbors for mentioning this to them. I'm trying to figure out what would be the best way to, now, address the issue, with these resources in hand. Should I/we tell them or report it. I think, it might be good to talk to them about it first and take the friendlier route rather than reporting them first. Maybe they're not even aware that this is an issue for us. At least, I have some info to go on if they get upset over it. Thank you both!