A pungent odor has plagued Pitcairn. An air sample canister hopes to ID the smell.

PITCAIRN, Pa. (KDKA) — There have been countless reports of a strong odor stinking up Pitcairn in recent years.

But now firefighters in the borough are teaming up with two environmental groups to use air sample canisters. The hope is to track down the scent and sniff out a solution.

"Some people say that it smells gassy. Some people say that it smells like sewage. Some people call it sewage gas," said Yvonne Sorovacu, an environmental scientist at Protect PT.

KDKA-TV spoke with people who lived on Wood Street in December 2023 who were tired of catching a whiff of the mystery odor. They're a step closer to finally finding out what it is.

Pitcairn firefighters are working with environmental nonprofits Protect PT and the Environmental Integrity Project to collect air samples.

Sorovacu said this past year, residents have been calling the fire department a lot in fear that the strong stench could result in a worst-case scenario.

"The firefighters have an explosivity meter that they use to detect if there's any explosive potential in the air," Sorovacu said. "And on several of those occasions, they have picked up some explosivity potential in the air, and that's been concerning to residents, especially in light of some of the things we've seen in the Pittsburgh area within the past year. They've said that the smells have been getting stronger."

Starting this week, firefighters will respond with a SUMMA canister.

"When they take the air sample and they send it to the lab and we get those results back, we'll see the composition of what was in the air," said Emily Nissley, Protect PT's communications manager.

Residents have said they think they know where the powerful smell is coming from.

"The dump. Yeah, I suspect that's where it is coming from," one resident said in December.

KDKA-TV has reported that Waste Management operates a landfill up the hill from Wood Street.

Nissley and Sorovacu said the hope is that air sampling will determine the origins of the offensive odor and figure out what to do about it, while also identifying the potential dangers to people's homes and health.

"A major concern is the fact that they're breathing in these fumes and knowing what's in them can determine potential health impacts," Nissley said.

They said if you live in Pitcairn or Monroeville and you smell the suspicious scent, call 911 and ask for the Pitcairn fire department.

They expect samples will be collected over a few months because the smell tends to be stronger when it's cooler.

Environmental Integrity Project grant funding is providing access to the air sampling equipment and expertise from its team.

If you want to learn more or have questions about the tests, a meeting is planned for July 25 at the Pitcairn Firehall on Center Avenue.