For years many years residents in the area of the Kopli peninsula, from the Kopli liinid wooden houses to the newly developed Noblessner neighborhood, have been blighted by strong odors often permeating the air, even causing symptoms such as watery eyes, nausea, and headaches.

The smell is put down to fuel-handling companies operating on the Paljassaare peninsula – where the commercial Kopli port is also located.

Local residents have noted that the unpleasant odor mainly spreads at night, and at the weekends – though this may also be simply the times when they are more likely to notice the pollution or to be at home at all.

Meelis Mägi, head of the Environmental Board's climate and ambient air bureau, said however that nothing illegal was going on.

He said: "Several of the sources of this disturbance are companies dealing with various fuels, their distillation, and petroleum products, all of which can cause odor issues. All these companies have been issued environmental permits which specify various legally defined limits they must not exceed. We continuously monitor this, and have not detected any exceeding of these limits."

Local residents have also set up a "Põhja-Tallinn haiseb" ("Põhja-Tallinn stinks") Facebook group, which has seen a surge in complaining posts in recent days.

"This has been going on for about 10 to 12 years, "Sergei Nikonov, "Põhja-Tallinn haiseb" group moderator said, acknowledging that it's difficult to prove the smell's health hazards.

The Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet) says it is well aware of the concerns of Põhja-Tallinn residents.

Mägi said his authority gets complaints from Põhja Tallinn "continuously."

"Depending on the season and wind direction, the number of complaints varies, but we receive them every week, sometimes more, sometimes less," he added.

"We have not detected anything toxic through our measurements, which means it has not exceeded the established limits," he went on, adding this was backed by a study.

The problem is also exacerbated by the high prices of new builds in the area, Nikonov noted. Though added that both legal solutions – reducing permissible emissions – and relocating companies which set up prior to the area undergoing a gentrification process, while feasible, will take time.

Of hopeful signs for the future, Meelis Mägi said: "Detail plans have actually been initiated for that area, envisioning different activities in the locations of these companies, such as business and residential quarters. Once these plans are implemented by the developer and local government, we can definitely say that such odor disturbances will no longer occur there."

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