Lynwood Seeking Ways to Curb Emissions at Resin Plant

Under pressure from neighbors to shut down a chemical manufacturing plant and its incinerator, City Council members Tuesday declared a 45-day moratorium on construction of similar facilities in the city.

Council members concluded that they lack the authority to close the controversial Cargill operation. But they asked city staff members to look into ways that the city can regulate the plant and incinerator at 2800 Lynwood Road.

The plant manufactures resins that are used in plastic and paint products. A small incinerator at the site burns hazardous waste.

Residents have been concerned about odors from the plant and the release of possibly harmful materials from the incinerator.

“The plant should be (moved), or it should be shut down,” resident Everson Hill told the council, adding that the odors are making neighbors “miserable.”

Council members told residents that officials are seeking methods to control such plants.

“We are aware of the citizens’ concerns,” Councilman E. L. Morris said, “but since we can’t close or kick Cargill out, we should work with Cargill to eliminate the odors for the benefit of the community.”

Councilman Robert Henning said that even though the city has received no proposals for similar plants, the moratorium is designed to provide officials time to develop stricter regulations for future plants. There are no provisions in the city ordinance regulating hazardous waste plants, but the city staff has been asked to prepare possible regulations for discussion at the council’s Dec. 5 meeting.

Henning also said the city Fire Department should consider monitoring emissions from the Cargill plant. And Councilman Paul Richards asked the city attorney to determine whether the state Department of Health Services erred in issuing a hazardous-waste permit to the plant without first requiring an environmental impact report from the company.

Richards said he believes the health officials should have ordered such a report before issuing the permit Nov. 7.

Ella Woods, an organizer of Lynwood Families Against Toxic Waste, said the group is pleased by the council’s efforts but still prefers that the plant be moved.

“We are real happy with the stand they took,” she said. “But the only answer it to move them out.

“We’re going to stay on them. We are not going to let them sweep this under the rug.”

Doug Graff, the general manager of Cargill, described the council action as political.

He said the company has been willing to do what it can to clean up the air. “Who can be against clean air?” he asked.

Plant superintendent Michael Dobeck told the council that Cargill had spent more than $3 million to reduce emissions and improve the environment.

Dobeck said the incinerator, which has operated at the plant since 1980, has actually reduced the odors.

Vapor control vents have also been installed to help reduce odors, he added.

Dobeck said the company had spent at least $400,000 in the last year to perform emission tests to see whether the incinerator complies with state and federal standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency last month denied the company a permit to operate the incinerator because it failed to meet federal emissions standards during a test in October, 1988. But the incinerator passed a recent test and may receive a permit as soon as the results are analyzed, according to an EPA spokesman.

The company is allowed to continue operating the incinerator while it appeals.

EPA officials have said they do not think that the plant endangers people’s health.

However, state officials have asked Cargill to submit a plan by Dec. 8 for controlling the plant’s odors. State officials believe the odors are caused by the materials used in the chemical process to create the resins.