AG Campbell sues Mass. company over complaints of noxious odors impacting several communities

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.

Read the full lawsuit below:

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