Bad Air Stinks

My place of employment is very near one of the local hospitals. A few minutes ago I walked outside and was nearly knocked over by the stench emanating from that direction. It smells like very strong, rotting cow manure and it nearly made me throw up. What I want to know is what the is that and who in their right mind thought it would be okay to release that smell into our already foggy, smoggy, nasty air?