With workers complaining of headaches, nausea and nosebleeds, and neighbors complaining of bad odors, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality must quickly isolate the cause of what is sickening some manufacturing workers in Abingdon.
On Monday night, more than 100 people filed into Abingdon High School for a public hearing on an emissions permit for MXI, a business that recycles alcohol-based products into fuel. Speakers said exposure to a chemical used there can cause headaches, nausea and nosebleeds.
But it’s not clear that the illnesses have been caused by MXI emissions, or neighboring Hapco, which makes aluminum products like flag poles and light poles. Both industries are located at Exit 22 off Interstate 81.
Hapco employees have called DEQ and alleged emissions are coming from MXI’s cooling tower. MXI has produced operations records showing that even when its new water-recycling process is not running, Hapco employees have called DEQ to complain.
Tony Skeen, distillation manager for MXI, said processing metal can produce symptoms like those complained of by Hapco workers.
Skeen said he wasn’t pointing fingers, but, face facts – that’s exactly what both businesses are doing. Each manufacturer claims the other’s work could be the source of the odor- and illness-inducing emissions. MXI plant Operations Manager Brian Potter claims the wind blows cooling tower emissions toward his plant, not Hapco, and even then that people do not get sick.
Mike Robinson, Hapco human resources director, is tired of the runaround. He wants DEQ to root out the source of the problem that causes regular illness complaints to his office. “When I have an employee look at me in the eyes with tears streaming down his face and his nose bleeding and throwing up and I told him DEQ says it’s not harmful, I look like a fool,” Robinson said at the hearing.
That’s plainly understandable. Hapco workers started complaining this spring, when an odor wafted into their plant and some workers experienced symptoms similar to drunkenness. DEQ did cite MXI in June for exceeding its emissions limit for ethanol.
But three months later, it is still not clear what has caused the physical symptoms. DEQ air testing did not isolate any compound that would have adverse health effects.
But now MXI wants to raise its emission limit and install new equipment to keep odors from escaping. We’re not sure anyone knows conclusively what is causing the emissions problem so far, and complaints from neighbors show either or both plants are not keeping odors from reaching nearby homes.
At Monday’s hearing, DEQ officials said they believe MXI’s plan would likely address the existing odor problem and that monitoring is included in the proposed permit.
Bad odors can be an indication of a problem; they also can be a normal part of operating a manufacturing business. But who can doubt crippling headaches, vomiting, nausea and nosebleeds? This is not normal under any measure.
Allowing either company to raise its emission limits at this time would be irresponsible. DEQ must first determine what is sickening workers today.
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