Politics & Government

City Orders Smelly Company to Clean up Act

If NewStream LLC is unable to eliminate the odor leaks from its plant on Pleasant Street, the Attleboro Health Department will call a hearing to shut down the facility.

A local company is on notice from the city that it must eliminate odor leaks from its wastewater recycling plant at the Attleboro Corporate Campus on Pleasant Street near the Lindsey Street intersection or risk being forced to cease operation.

The city's Health Department held an emergency public meeting Monday at  in response to complaints from dozens of residents over the weekend about an odor described as smelling like dirty diapers, sour milk and other unpleasant items. Attleboro Health Agent Jim Mooney told the representatives of NewStream LLC  that the company will be given a list within the next couple weeks of measures that must be taken to eliminate the problem. NewStream would have 30 days to implement the measures, although the company could ask for an extension.

"If the Health Department is not satisfied, we will call for a public hearing," said Mooney, referring to a hearing allowed by Massachusetts law at which the Health Department could determine the plant must be shut down.

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Mooney said there have been complaints for the past two years about the plant, which is used for recycling of wastewater, oil and antifreeze. The issue was supposed to have been solved, he said, by the company's purchase of industrial scrubbers. But then a stink worse than any previously reported entered the air on Saturday morning.

"I was so sick, I said to my husband, 'I don't know if I can make it to the bathroom; I can't breathe, I'm going to throw up." said a woman at the meeting who declined to give her name.

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Company President Michael Spoor said the odor was created when waste was accidently deprived of oxygen during the treatment process, sending "concentrated anaerobic odors" into the air. It took two days to control the smell.

City Health Officer Dr. Christopher Quinn said the odor was not toxic, but this did not mean it wasn't a health risk.

"If it's nauseating, that's a health hazard," Quinn said.

Spoor apologized to those affected by the odor, and promised to purchase sensors that would detect when oxygen levels went down. However, meeting attendees grew frustrated about what appeared to be his reluctance to guarantee all odor problems would be eliminated.

"I'm not getting an overwhelming sense of confidence that you have a good grasp on it," said City Councilor Jay DiLisio.

The councilor later said at the meeting that he was "encouraged" by Mooney's plan.

For this recent incident, the city fined NewStream $500. The company had previously been fined $100 for another odor leak.


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