The ILB has pointed to a number of stories about odor problems in Indiana, from both farms and industrial plants. The most recent is this AP story published yesterday that begins:
ANGOLA, Ind. -- A state inspection found that a factory suspected as the source of a smell that has been lingering over the city has not committed any air quality violations.New York City has odor problems too, as illustrated by this story yesterday in the NY Times titled "No Thanks Given in Bronx for a Smelly Turkey Plant." Some quotes:That finding released Wednesday, however, does not mean the odor that has bothered residents since August is not coming from the General Products auto parts plant, said Amy Hartsock, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
"We believe the cutting oil used at the facility is a source of odor," Hartsock said. "But all we look for is compliance. We address air violations; things that could impact air quality."
The smell wakes them at night. It sits in their clothes, their hair, the vents of their air-conditioning units.Posted by Marcia Oddi at October 15, 2004 07:01 AMIt is the smell of smoked turkey, wafting day and night from the LSK Smoked Turkey Products plant, which moved into the quiet Parkchester section of the Bronx two years ago. These days, it is hard to find a resident who will still cook the bird, even on Thanksgiving.
But relief may soon come. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced yesterday that the city would move to shut down the plant, at 1575 Bronx River Avenue, a few blocks southeast of Bronx Park. The news follows months of agitation by local residents, who have grown so desperate that they have threatened to stand in front of the company's turkey-packed trucks to stop them from moving. * * *
The company, which cooks and packages pork parts, turkey parts and whole turkeys, moved to the Bronx in May 2002 after a long and fraught history with its former neighbors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The city has logged more than 60 complaints from Parkchester residents since August 2003, and began citing the company for air pollution violations the next month.
To date, LSK Smoked Turkey Products has paid more than $3,000 in fines for eight violations. The most recent citation, costing an additional $2,000, was issued on Monday, about a month after the company installed an air filtration system intended to curb the smell. It has also been cited for letting grease spill into the sewers. * * *
As a next step, on Oct. 26 city officials will seek permission from a judge for the city's Environmental Control Board to shut down the company's operations, said Charles G. Sturcken, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection. * * *
The factory's operation is legal because it is in an industrial zone, Mr. Sturcken said. It is the odorous steam that violates the city's Air Pollution Control Code, he said. The code prohibits persistent and troublesome smells that cause discomfort.