The Grafton Select Board addressed discussions that began this summer over odor complaints from the Feedback Earth, Inc. food waste processing plant at 109 Creeper Hill Road.

The facility processes food waste into animal feed.

Previously, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) had assessed a $6,000 penalty against Feedback Earth, Inc. following state permit violations at its food waste conversion operation on Creeper Hill Road in Grafton. The violations, which occurred from May through November 2023, center on multiple off-site odor events and improper food waste management practices. The company has been fined since 2022 and paid a cumulative total of $25,250 for previous permit violations.

Two public meetings with the Feedback Earth CEO, Alison Greenlee, failed to completely address the odor complaints, although the numbers received have fallen lately, Town Manager Evan Brassard told the board at their Sept. 10 meeting.

Brassard said he has been in contact with both state Rep. David Muradian (R-9th Worcester) and MassDEP. Some measures have been taken by Feedback Earth may be responsible, but there is not a long-term solution in place so far, as complaints continue to filter in.

The town will continue to work together with the company and the agency to come up with a longer term solution, he said.

“It has been a little interesting that I’ve been getting information from Feedback and also getting conflicting information from DEP,” Brassard said.

 Mass DEP doesn’t agree with what Feedback Earth is saying and the town is continuing to monitor the situation, he said.

Subjectively, the decrease in calls could be for a couple of reasons, said Brassard, adding that either the smell is less or people are tired of reporting and not getting any action.

“It’s probably some combination of the two,” he said.  “Either the smell is less or people are tired of reporting and they haven’t gotten any action yet. It’s probably some combination of the two,” he said.

With Assistant Town Administrator Will Blake, Brassard checked out Creeper Hill Road on  Sept. 10 and could definitely pick up a “sourish” smell that he said reminded him an odors related to bread or something similar.

Town officials have daily conversations with MassDEP and continue to monitor all reports, Brassard said.

Sometimes a complaint is lodged, but not substantiated by a second “sniffer”  or has changed directions from where it was initially sensed around the facility.

“I just wanted to put it out there for residents that DEP has a very pragmatic approach and not just, ‘we said it’s fine, so now it’s fine,” Brassard said. “That’s not at all what’s happening and they seem to be digging in quite deep.”

Board chair Ann Marie Foley said apparently, operations have switched over to night hours, so residents might not be aware of odors.  The outside temperature might also impact the smell, she said. 

Select Board member Andy Jefferson was concerned that since operations are taking place at night a second sniffer is not on hand to verify odors diffusing in the air. 

Despite that, residents should continue to call the odor hotline and record complaints regardless of the hour, he said. Feedback Earth needs to be better in their communications with the town on when they’re considering changes in operation times or ingredients, Jefferson said.

The week of September 10, Feedback Earth has expanded its hours into small daytime operation trials of their system’s effectiveness, Brassard said. The town and MassDEP gets weekly reports from Feedback, he said.

Board member Mathew Often said the cooking at night solution is too short term. “That’s not solving the problem” he said. “The funk is still there.”

A year with few complaints means we’ve solved the problem, Often said. A short term solution is not a good reflection of Feedback Earth’s long term operational model, he said.  

According to Brassard, the town does not have jurisdiction over air quality, but relies on the state for its regulations. The state Attorney General’s office said there is a provision in the law that allows the town to create odor regulations, but they are subject to Mass DEP approval.

By the September 17 meeting of the Select Board, not much had changed, except for a complaint from a resident who was not able to make contact on the hotline number.

The board also learned that employees of Feedback Earth had been calling residents on their private cell phone numbers or showing up at their houses.

Brassard said he spoke with the Police Department and learned they can do nothing legally unless they assist a resident with a ‘no trespass’ order or if they get a call that the trespasser refuses to leave.

Jefferson said he felt strongly that showing up at residences or direct contact was inappropriate. 

The town will issue a notice to Feedback Earth that access to addresses or phone numbers via complaint forms does not mean they can make use of them, Brassard said.

At second Select Board meeting on Oct. 2, residents restated that the odors continued and the complaint line was not working.