EPA investigating St. Charles meat processing plant upon request from U.S. Rep. Krishnamoorthi

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opened an investigation into the Smithfield Foods meat processing facility in St. Charles after U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, requested it do so in a letter last month.

Krishnamoorthi, who represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, sent letters Aug. 18 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asking them to conduct an inspection of the Smithfield Foods meat processing facility in St. Charles because of increasing complaints from residents about the plant’s foul odors.

A letter to Krishnamoorthi signed by EPA regional administrator Debra Shore on Sept. 11 said the EPA has begun an investigation into the wastewater treatment processes and equipment at the Smithfield Foods facility in St. Charles.

“Due to a long-standing policy of limiting third-party communications regarding enforcement matters, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is not able to share findings from ongoing investigations,” Shore said in the letter. “Please be assured that we are in contact with the city of St. Charles and with the Smithfield Foods facility. And we will be pleased to provide you with the information concerning the inspections when publicly available.”

The source of the odor is the plant’s wastewater treatment facility, which treats about 90,000 gallons of wastewater generated by the plant every day.

In his letter, Krishnamoorthi cited gastrointestinal and respiratory tract symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and breathing issues associated with environmental malodors and raised concern that the odor may be related to a food safety issue that could affect consumers across the region. He asked both agencies to launch official investigations and make the findings public.

Smithfield Foods’ Senior Director of Environmental Affairs John Meyer said previously that the odor from the wastewater treatment plant is completely unrelated to food safety and is treated in a separate building from the plant’s other processes.

“I welcome the news that the EPA has launched an investigation into the malodors surrounding the Smithfield Foods facility in St. Charles. While I am disappointed by the EPA’s initial refusal to share its findings so long as the investigation is ongoing, I will continue to work with local authorities to address this issue while pressing the EPA to disclose any investigatory findings pertinent to the health and well-being of St. Charles residents,” Krishnamoorthi said in a Sept. 14 news release.

Meyer said Sept. 6 that the plant had a surprise inspection from the EPA on Aug. 29, which did not bring forward any concerns. However, they still were waiting on a formal report, which will be issued within 70 days of the inspection. He also said the St. Charles facility, along with all 40 Smithfield processing plants nationwide, is inspected daily by the USDA to make sure federal regulations are met.

Meyer said although they feel they have fixed the problem considerably, they continue to work to mitigate the odor and have plans to construct a cover for the treatment facility. They installed an odor control system earlier this year and have invested more than $350,000 in odor neutralization and system setup.

The Smithfield Foods processing plant at 410 S. Kirk Road produces dried sausage – mainly pepperoni and salami – and employs about 500 people.