Residents across London are reporting particularly strong and unpleasant smells throughout the city, with complaints coming from multiple neighbourhoods including East London, North London, and areas near Fanshawe Park Road.

The odours appear to be more widespread than usual, extending beyond the typical problem areas. One resident noted that while Adelaide and Kipps usually have smell issues, today even Fanshawe Park Road was affected by similar odours.

Several factors may be contributing to the increased smell intensity across the city. The Greenhills dump has been particularly strong this past week, with its odour carrying for many miles according to local observations.

Near the airport, residents reported a manure-like smell this morning, which may be related to recent agricultural activities in surrounding farm areas where manure has likely been applied to fields.

The timing coincides with garbage collection day in many areas, which typically contributes to temporary odour issues. However, the widespread nature of today’s complaints suggests the smell is more extensive than normal garbage day effects.

University students may also be inadvertently contributing to the problem. With many new students still learning London’s waste management system, improper sorting of garbage and recycling has led to smelly items remaining on streets longer than usual. Food containers placed incorrectly in recycling bins only get collected when properly separated, meaning they can accumulate and create odours.

The recent warm weather has likely intensified these various smell sources, causing odours to travel further and become more noticeable throughout the city.

One East London resident described checking their stroller wheels multiple times during a walk, convinced they had picked up rotting food, only to realize the smell was pervasive throughout their area.

The combination of waste management challenges, agricultural activities, landfill operations, and weather conditions appears to have created a perfect storm of unpleasant odours affecting multiple London neighbourhoods simultaneously.