Plant that uses turkey parts agrees to odor restrictions

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- A plant that turns turkey byproducts into oil has agreed to improve its odor control systems following a lawsuit by state and city officials alleging the odors posed a public nuisance.

Attorney General Jay Nixon and Renewable Environmental Solutions said Friday that the company had agreed to improve the emissions-control equipment at its plant as part of a consent order filed in Jasper County Circuit Court.

The Carthage plant makes oil out of the blood, guts, skin, feathers and bones of turkeys from a nearby Butterball plant. It sells the product to oil blenders and people who use it as a heating source.

Residents have complained about foul odors coming from the plant, which has been cited several times for excessive odor emissions by the Department of Natural Resources.

A lawsuit by Nixon's office and the city of Carthage contended the processing facility and waste handling caused odors that "unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of private and public property."

Under the agreement, Renewable Environmental Solutions will install an improved thermal oxidizer and higher efficiency scrubber on its emission-control system. Nixon said the company also agreed to take other measures to control odors.

"Hopefully, this will put an end to a nearly yearlong problem that the people of Carthage were forced to endure," Nixon said.

Renewable Environmental Solutions, based in Downers Grove, Ill., issued a statement saying the new equipment "will bring additional state-of-the-art odor control technology to the plant." Installation of the equipment is to begin Monday.

The company is a joint venture of ConAgra Foods Inc. and Changing World Technologies Inc.