LAKE ODESSA, Mich. - Cargill, a liquid egg processing plant, has apologized for the foul smell taking over Lake Odessa while announcing their temporary fix as representatives search for a permanent solution.
FOX 17 first told you about the rotten egg smell upsetting residents earlier this month, some even fearing it causes health problems. Cargill opened up their facility Thursday, giving tours to township officials and media personnel while taking full responsibility for the nuisance odors.
“I want to apologize for any inconvenience that residents have encountered because of this odor situation,” Jay Patel, Plant General Manager said during a walkthrough tour of Cargill.
The smell is from a highly poisonous, corrosive, and flammable gas called Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S. The gas is emitted as a byproduct to the roughly 7.5 million liquid eggs produced on site each day. Patel eased residential concerns saying a third party, Goulders Associates, has tested and confirmed the levels of H2S are not hazardous to the residents of Lake Odessa.
Cargill was built in 1994. It was expanded in 2017 with a $5.5 million waste water treatment facility. The H2S was coming from the solid waste being store in a solid waste tank on site. That tank has since been shut off.
Cargill is now pumping solid waste to a solid waste tanker, then hauling the byproduct offsite for about $1,000 each day. Patel says even though they’ve solved the problem, their current fix is expensive and they’re still searching for a permanent solution.
Village and Township leaders will be taking questions at the next Township Hall meeting scheduled for Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
Further concerns can be directed to Jatin (Jay) Patel, Plant General Manager at 616-374-3725 or jay_patel@cargill.com
