Vi-Cor has expanded to Mason City’s southwest side and residents in the area have approached the city to do something about the smell. Apparently, Vi-Cor has been experimenting with new products at the new plant on S. Benjamin Ave.|
Residents in southwest Mason City are clamoring for city action on a smell they say is coming from a new plant operation by Vi-Cor. Vi-Cor’s main plant is located on South Carolina Ave. in Mason City. That plant has been a hot-button issue in the past due to the smell it gifts the city, as well. The new plant is located in industrial park, just east of Coca-Cola, on South Benjamin Ave.
The smell has been so bad that Mason City residents that live near the plant recently met and submitted their story to NorthIowaToday.com. You can read the story here.
Since then, the citizens have met with city staff to ask for city intervention on the issue and force Vi-Cor to live up to promises they say were made in 2007, when Vi-Cor President Mark Holt “promised to install a thermal oxidizer into the South Benjamin plant before beginning operations there,” said Vi-Cor neighbor Mary Madison. A thermal oxidizer device would supposedly eliminate over 99% of any smell coming from the plant.
In response to the concerns of the citizens, Max Weaver told City Administrator Brent Trout “DON’T make liars out of us we all heard the promise. Lets get on this and quick.”
This week, Trout replied to the concerns of the citizens, saying the meeting went well. He says he will “develop a plan to conduct odor patrols in the neighborhoods around Vi-Cor for the next couple of weeks with City staff and myself to determine what odors are present on the days they are not in operation and days they are in operation.”
Exactly when and where this “sniff test” will be conducted is not yet known.
Also this week, emails from citizens have been flowing into City Hall. One nearby resident said in an email “Step outside or open your window this morning. VERY strong odor in the air this morning and it’s not dissipating!”
Another email to City Hall from a resident stated “Just a quick note to let you know that the Vi-Cor odors are in the air at this time. The smell is as far north as Mercy Hospital @ this time.”
Still another reported “As I sit in my living room this afternoon with my windows open to the cool breeze all I smell is the emissions coming from Vi-Corp.”
City Council member Janet Solberg said in an email back to a resident that “Vicor is approx 3 blocks from my home, and I have not ever noticed any smell.”
City Council member Scott Tornquist told a resident via email that “I attended the meeting at the Holiday Inn several years ago (2007 meeting, as seen on the video below), and I clearly remember the commitments that were made by Vi-Cor to the neighborhood. When Vi-Cor applied for their permit nearly a year ago, they indicated there would be no odors emitted. That is not the case, which would seem to put them in violation of their permit.”
Watch Vi-Cor officials address Mason City residents in 2007 about potential smell issues:
Publisher’s note from Matt Marquardt:
I conducted my own “smell test” earlier this week, by accident, while jogging past Vi-Cor’s new operation in industrial park. The day was either Tuesday or Wednesday and the time was about 10 a.m. (There are walking and biking trails going right past the plant.) Having jogged this route numerous times over the years, I definitely noticed a new “fragrance” in the air, and it was not pleasant, in my opinion. This was obviously not a scientific test and I have no way of “proving” this smell came from Vi-Cor.|
