Reported smell has south Charlotte neighbors concerned for their health
Some residents of a south Charlotte neighborhood say a nearby manufacturing plant is dolling out more than they bargained for.
The Cargill plant on South Boulevard produces cooking oils, but neighbors in Madison Park say it also creates a lingering, foul smell that they’re concerned may be a health risk.
Brad Schmitt has lived in the area for six years. He says the concerning smell has always been there and now he wants the county to step in with a solution.
“If you smell something, it’s a problem,” Schmitt told Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz. “You would just smell it (and) kind of dismiss it. You knew, kind of, where it was from, but recently, over the past months, even year, I would say that it has gotten way worse.”
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Schmitt took to social media to see if others noticed the objectionable smell. His post on Nextdoor took off.
“I limit time outside on bad days,” one commenter said. “Feels like we’re treated like guinea pigs with the stuff they’re putting in the air,” another added.
After the smell was reported to Mecklenburg County Air Quality, an inspection report from mid-January showed no violations of the area pollution rules were found.
Still, Schmitt says an air quality supervisor led him to believe otherwise.
“They said that when they toured the facility after one of my complaints, that it smelt so bad that she felt like she was going to throw up, which is clearly a massive problem in my opinion,” he said.
Another report from a month later said “an odor of slight strength with an organize quality was smelled continuously in the area.”
Channel 9 reached out to Mecklenburg County Air Quality about the smell and its cause.
READ MORE: Meck County: Company behind Charlotte’s odor violated ‘objectionable odor’ rule
“Through field investigations and site visits, Cargill’s water treatment process has been identified as a possible source of the reported odors,” the agency said in a statement. “County staff have met with Cargill to discuss their efforts to mitigate the reported odors. Odor mitigation efforts are ongoing.”
A facility manager from Cargill also addressed the claims.
“We have been made aware, are investigating and currently addressing odors allegedly stemming from our wastewater treatment process area and pond on site,” they said. “We are working closely with Charlotte (and) Mecklenburg County Air Quality to share our findings and actions with them.”
Schmitt isn’t satisfied and says he wants more to be done.
“It just doesn’t sit well with me as a resident,” he said.
Another report on the Mecklenburg County Air Quality website says a hydrogenation reactor tower on the Cargill site “could potentially emit some particulate matter.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, particulate matter “contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems.”
Leslie Rhodes, the county air quality director, told Channel 9 that pollution from industrial sources, like the Cargill plant, is regulated by an air quality ordinance designed to protect public health.
She said the specific process at Cargill is not a significant health risk.
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