GRAFTON, Mass. — The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office on Thursday announced that it’s suing a Bay State company over claims it has been emitting noxious odors for months, impacting the well-being of residents who live in several nearby communities.
The civil action lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court against Grafton-based Feedback Earth, Inc. alleges that the odors emitted by the company, which processes food waste into animal feed, are due to a pattern of environmental permit violations and unsanitary conditions at its facility.
Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell is also seeking a preliminary injunction ordering Feedback Earth to cease its nuisance odors to provide immediate relief to local residents and businesses and to ensure compliance with the law going forward.
“Every community deserves fresh air and responsible neighbors. No one should be unable to enjoy their yard, walk their neighborhood, or open their windows because a company, even one with an important mission, is prioritizing its business over complying with reasonable and sound environmental laws and regulations that protect the health of our residents,” Campbell said in a statement.
According to the lawsuit, Feedback Earth has been engaged in a pattern of environmental permit violations under the state’s Clean Air Act and Solid Waste Act, causing odors from its Grafton facility to waft into the surrounding area.
These problems significantly worsened this summer after the company began to process lobster shells without permission from MassDEP and the odors have regularly impacted residents’ ability to use their yards and open their windows for several miles around the facility, resulting in hundreds of complaints, the lawsuit stated.
Feedback Earth improperly stored food waste, processed spoiled food, and failed to notify MassDEP before making changes to its operations, all of which potentially exacerbated odors, according to the lawsuit.
“Diverting food waste from disposal and repurposing it for animal feed and other uses is important for both our solid waste and climate goals,” MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple said in a statement. “Ensuring that companies operate in ways that protect the health of their neighbors and the environment is of the utmost importance, and the state looks forward to putting an end to the conditions causing these odor issues.”
The lawsuit is also seeking civil penalties over the alleged violations.
One 10-year-old tells Boston 25 News that if she does go outside, she holds her breath as long as possible. Her mother described the odor this past summer as the worst ever.
“It smelled like rotten lobster,” she said. “Honestly, it smelled like a dumpster full of two-week-old lobster. It’s disgusting. It smells like vomit, sometimes.”
Jessie Remillard, who established a FaceBook page ‘What’s That Smell’ to give residents affected a forum,” confirmed that last summer’s odor was like rancid seafood. “It’s like seafood that’s been sitting in the sun. Rancid, putrid. It’s a thick, heavy odor that doesn’t go away.”
Remillard’s condominium complex is about half a mile from the plant. Environmental experts dispatched to the property have confirmed strong odors several times.
“They also process some baked goods,” Remillard said. “Those are a little bit less offensive. But I prefer unscented air myself.”
Remillard said that the years of complaining to the town with no action was frustrating, but she understands the state had to build a good case.
“I think they’ve done that here,” she said. “We’re really hoping that next summer we’ll be able to be outside and not be worrying about it.”
Read the full lawsuit below:
AG sues Massachusetts company over noxious odors impacting residents in several communities by Fox Boston Staff on Scribd
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