Residents of Southeast Side Have Until Friday to Join Ongoing Smell Complaint Lawsuit
The residents living along the southeast side of Chicago, who have complained about the unbearable stench emanating from a local oil processing plant for over a decade, have just one more day left to join an ongoing class-action lawsuit.
The plaintiffs claim that the Pullman Innovations facility at 2701 E. 100th St. is releasing noxious fumes similar to those of sewage, vomit and rotting carcasses into the air. As a result, residents can't even step out onto their backyards, visit nearby parks or sit on their porches with windows open.
The plant refines vegetable oils for poultry feed in chicken farms that supply eggs to Dutch Farms brand. In December, approximately 2,400 households were informed about the collective lawsuit seeking an undisclosed settlement over the putrid smells. The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court encompasses those who have lived within a three-mile radius of the facility since 2018.
Residents will be included in the class-action unless they opt out by Friday. For Oscar Ortega, the lead plaintiff, leaving his neighborhood has become unbearable. "I couldn't take it anymore," he said in an interview.
Law firms representing residents from Detroit and Crown Point are working on the case, which means those who participate cannot file a lawsuit individually against the company. The affected area's boundaries lie approximately between East 95th Street to the north and East 105th Street to the south and west of the Calumet River.
The history of complaints dates back years ago. In the past, some residents told the Chicago Sun-Times that they thought a change in ownership in 2016 would improve the situation. The previous owner, Agri-Fine, accumulated numerous violations and was previously sued by then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
In 2023, Pullman officials said that some odor controls had been implemented, but more were planned. Early this month, the state revealed that Pullman was seeking permission to install equipment designed to reduce certain emissions from the facility. No response was received from the company regarding comments on the lawsuit.
Anna Johnson lives just three blocks away from Pullman Innovations and plans to participate in the class-action. She said that the smells were particularly intense before Christmas, even with windows closed. "It's so strong that I have to spray air freshener and light incense," she said.
"I'm not doing it for the money. We just want to live comfortably. It would be great if they just went away."
The residents living along the southeast side of Chicago, who have complained about the unbearable stench emanating from a local oil processing plant for over a decade, have just one more day left to join an ongoing class-action lawsuit.
The plaintiffs claim that the Pullman Innovations facility at 2701 E. 100th St. is releasing noxious fumes similar to those of sewage, vomit and rotting carcasses into the air. As a result, residents can't even step out onto their backyards, visit nearby parks or sit on their porches with windows open.
The plant refines vegetable oils for poultry feed in chicken farms that supply eggs to Dutch Farms brand. In December, approximately 2,400 households were informed about the collective lawsuit seeking an undisclosed settlement over the putrid smells. The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court encompasses those who have lived within a three-mile radius of the facility since 2018.
Residents will be included in the class-action unless they opt out by Friday. For Oscar Ortega, the lead plaintiff, leaving his neighborhood has become unbearable. "I couldn't take it anymore," he said in an interview.
Law firms representing residents from Detroit and Crown Point are working on the case, which means those who participate cannot file a lawsuit individually against the company. The affected area's boundaries lie approximately between East 95th Street to the north and East 105th Street to the south and west of the Calumet River.
The history of complaints dates back years ago. In the past, some residents told the Chicago Sun-Times that they thought a change in ownership in 2016 would improve the situation. The previous owner, Agri-Fine, accumulated numerous violations and was previously sued by then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
In 2023, Pullman officials said that some odor controls had been implemented, but more were planned. Early this month, the state revealed that Pullman was seeking permission to install equipment designed to reduce certain emissions from the facility. No response was received from the company regarding comments on the lawsuit.
Anna Johnson lives just three blocks away from Pullman Innovations and plans to participate in the class-action. She said that the smells were particularly intense before Christmas, even with windows closed. "It's so strong that I have to spray air freshener and light incense," she said.
"I'm not doing it for the money. We just want to live comfortably. It would be great if they just went away."
can't imagine how hard it must b tryna enjoy ur own backyard without gaggin. i hope they get some serious change & those ppl get the comfort they deserve, not just $$$ 
but a fresh start, u know?
. Like, why did Agri-Fine leave in 2016 and suddenly everything's okay? And now Pullman's all like "we're working on it" but we've got a whole decade of complaints just chillin' around 
. I mean, what's the real story here? Is this some kind of toxic waste thing going down? 
Those air fresheners and incense aren't gonna cut it, fam 
. I mean, can you imagine not being able to enjoy your own backyard or sit outside without feeling like gagging? It's crazy. The fact that the company thinks they've solved the problem with some new equipment and hasn't told anyone about it is just red flag material 
.
. I hope they get a good settlement and can finally start living comfortably in their own homes. It's disgusting that this has gone on for so long and it's not like anyone's come forward to complain... until now, apparently 
. Until then, I'll be over here wishing those residents some sweet relief 
. Anyway, yeah, I guess people have until Friday to join or opt out of this lawsuit, whatever that means 
.
. The fact that the company has been making promises to fix the issue since 2016 but nothing's changed is just wow 
. I hope they get the justice they deserve 
Like, who needs a three-mile radius warning system for toxic fumes? "Hey, you're close enough! Come on down and enjoy your backyard-turned-living-room!" 
. Can't imagine living in a neighborhood where the air is literally toxic 
What's going on with these companies? It's all about profits over people 
.
. And now they're trying to install equipment? That sounds like a band-aid solution 
. It doesn't! You gotta address the root problem 
. I hope the law firms are doing their job & getting justice for these residents 
How much do these companies know they're poisoning people's homes? 
. It's not just about the money, though - it's about living in a safe, healthy neighborhood 
. Fingers crossed for these residents and hoping they get some real change soon 
.