Composting on a tree farm sent smelly air through parts of Calverton in Suffolk County.
Local homeowners demanded that something be done about it.
"You can't even stay out. You have to lock yourself in the house and wait for it to pass," resident Michael Maresca said.
Video captured earlier this summer showed a truck dumping large piles of compost, which by law is supposed to be organic, but those living next door and across the street say otherwise.
"It's not an organic type of smell. It smells like chemicals and it has the same effect: itchy throat, irritated eyes. It's very concerning," Maresca said.
The trucks are dumping on a 43-acre tree farm originally called Warner Trees.
It was purchased nearly two years ago for $1.7 million by a business owner from Oceanside, according to records.
Drone images show the piles of compost scattered across the property.
Couple Michael Maresca and Jackie Descetto are concerned about their grandchildren.
"I have a granddaughter that has cystic fibrosis. She can't be outside that's toxic to her. We don't know what they're dumping over there," Descetto said.
One day she had an episode. It was really bad and we had to give him an emergency treatment because she was having a difficult time breathing," Maresca said.
Carolyn Hering has lived next door on her 6-acre farm for 30 years.
"My horse's eyes are all teary. It's not just people. It's the animals too," Hering said.
After a neighborhood petition and complaints, the town of Riverhead issued a stop-work order and suspended the owner's Use permit.
"Well I got to be honest with you this last month or so, it's been normal," Maresca said.
Riverhead town officials inspected the materials before giving the owner 11 violations for littering, importation without permits and misuse of land.
The owner's attorney is blaming the odor on a fire at a nearby recycling facility and says the tree plantings are scheduled for later this year.
"We just want to resolve this because it's unbearable," Maresca said.
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