DETROIT (WXYZ) — A community is raising their concerns to state regulators tasked with approving a new air quality permit for the Stellantis Mack facility on Detroit’s east side.
The permit is to install a second thermal oxidizer to address odor concerns, but that equipment was already installed months ago.
“You want to kind of minimize and diminish it by saying 'odor,' but there's pollution happening in our community,” said Rhonda Theus, who lives near the plant.
Concerns and questions were raised by residents who live near the Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant and are upset over what they say are ongoing health issues from the air quality.
"It's been five years. We've been through three or four different fixes supposedly and we’re still having the same issues,” resident Robert Shobe said.
Shobe has lived in his home for 28 years, which is more than two decades before the plant was built directly behind him. 7 News Detroit reporter Darren Cunningham first talked to him about his concerns back in April of 2022.
Watch our 2022 report where we spoke with Shobe and other residents about their concerns below:
“I still smell stuff," Shobe said during Thursday's meeting. "I still have health issues. My people in my community are doing the same thing.”
The Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy, known as EGLE, says they’ve issued about nine or 10 violations to the plant, which have all been addressed. Those violations include nuisance violations for the odor.
EGLE is now considering a permit by Stellantis to install a second thermal oxidizer, which has already been installed and operating for over a year.
“Typically, we wait until the permit is issued before the equipment is installed, but because of the enforcement action and odor issues, we thought it was best for the company to move forward in installing that equipment,” said Chris Etheridge, assistant director of EGLE's Air Quality Division.
EGLE says since being installed, the equipment has reduced the number of certain chemicals being emitted into the air. However, the permit request from Stellantis is also asking for an increase in the amount of particulate matter the plant can emit.
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"There's always the ability for us to add additional restrictions, additional requirements, additional record keeping, all those types of things to address residents' concerns,” Etheridge said.
Stellantis says the increased limit is needed to operate the second thermal oxidizer, issuing a statement that reads:
"The particulate matter permit limits for the Detroit Assembly Complex - Mack facility are already among the lowest in the industry. We simply can’t add the relatively small amount of PM emissions associated with an entirely new regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO), installed to control odors, to our emissions without increasing the permit limit. However, the small increase will still allow the facility to meet the new lower National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM 2.5 (which was changed from 12 ug/m3 to 9 ug/m3 on February 7, 2024)."
“I'm hoping they deny the permit. My expectation is it's a done deal already,” Shobe said. "Make them come up with something that's at least a zero emissions gain for the community.”
EGLE is still taking public comment on this issue up until Sept. 9 through a variety of methods:
- By email: EGLE-AQD-PTIPublicComments@Michigan.gov
- By U.S. mail: EGLE, Air Quality Division, Permit Section, P.O. Box 30260, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7760.
- By voicemail: 517-284-0900
