Village Approves New Rules for Odor Complaints
by Ron Faiolaposted 5.20.08 9:58 PM
In light of complaints by residents of odorous smells coming mainly from the GreendaleIndustrial Loop, the Greendale Village Board unanimously approved plans to change the ordinance to improve enforcement of the rules, including allowing time for the offending odors to be eliminated and further action to be taken if the odors persist.
The tougher rules come after complaints were received by the Village regarding the crematory at the Veterinary Medical Associates and Eviva Coffee roasters, both located in the Industrial Loop. Greendale Life published two articles about the Eviva situation and Milwaukee's Fox 6 News featured the issue on a 2007 newscast. The odorous smells were also a topic of conversation on the Greendale Life Forum.
Exempted from the rule were residential and Village compost piles, since the odors tended to not be as noticable or travel very far.
Burnt Coffee Odor May End
Updated October 11, 2007
by Ron FaiolaEviva Coffee & Tea Company located at 6789 Industrial Loop in Greendale has been the source of the potent odor of burnt coffee that has been repeatedly noticed by Village residents this spring and summer.
Eviva is a multi-million dollar company that roasts coffee beans in their Greendale plant and sells the coffee under different brand names in 4 states. The coffee roasters Eviva uses vent out into the the Village air.
While some people might not see that as a problem, many people who've dealt with the odor on a daily basis will say otherwise. The smell can be nauseating and some say it may be harmful to your health, others just consider it a nuisance.
A small number of resident's complained to Scott Satula, Village Director of Inspection. Even more mentioned it on the Greendale Life Forum website. Satula said he was working with Ashok Singh of the state Department of Natural Resources and Eviva to resolve the problem.
The DNR's Ashok Singh recently contacted Greendale Life and explained that he visited Eviva in late 2006 and asked them to run their after burners at 1,300 degrees Farenheit. Singh said that temperature would reduce the odor, although a recent article in a trade publication Roast magazine recommended roasting at 1,400 F to reduce emissions.
However, Singh said he returned to Eviva in May 2007 and noted that their afterburners were set at 1,200 degrees F, not 1,300 F. Singh also said that the DNR's "odor rules are very poor."
Greendale Life spoke to Eviva spokesman James Stone who said that "repairs were being made to the building" however, Stone also said that Eviva will be outsourcing 80-90% of their coffee roasting "out of the US" and only do "minor roasting" here in Greendale.
Stone said the outsourcing would eliminate 30 jobs and that there was also the possibility of Eviva leaving Greendale altogether. Decisions will be made by Eviva management in the next two weeks.
Satula said that the Village ordinance is not strong enough to prosecute the company for violations. The burnt coffee smell would have to injure a person's health in order to be actionable.
The roasting of coffee beans results in the emission of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, organic acids, and natural gas combustion products.
Some of these compounds volatize, oxidize, or decompose. Consequently, toxic compounds such as aldehydes (as formaldehyde), organic acids (as acetic acid) and acrolein are emitted as a result of the coffee roasting process.
Satula noted that Greendale does not have the equipment to measure what is being released in the roaster emissions. Satula asked the DNR for assistance, however Satula said he was "displeased" and would have hoped to see more help from the DNR.
Singh said that the Village asked for a recommendation of a testing company, but the DNR was not allowed to make recommendations. However, Singh said he thought the Village had hired a firm to test the emissions and he was waiting for that report.
.Previous Eviva Story, August 25, 2007
Eviva Burnt Coffee Smell Update
by Ron FaiolaEviva Coffee and Tea, Industrial Loop was the source of recent complaints from Village residents of a "burnt coffee smell".
The complaints lead Village Director of Inspection Scott Satula to bring in the DNR to evaluate the situation. The burned coffee fumes contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can be harmful to some people.
Satula set a July 31 deadline for the coffee company to reduce or eliminate the emissions, and since then there have been some complaints but so far no legal action has been taken.
On August 22, Satula said that Eviva is in the process of installing an afterburner and thermal coupler to clean up the toxic emissions before they get released into the air.
"They [Eviva] know that they are under the gun, however this doesn't happen overnight. They do have someone working on it." said Satula.
Satula added, "We don't have a real strong ordinance, so we are working with them on this. Meanwhile, we can see what to do legally if it [the result] is not acceptable."
If residents smell a strong odor of burnt coffee, they should contact Scott Satula at Village Hall, 423-2100.