LDEQ investigation determines smell origin
BATON ROUGE - The state says it's narrowed down a stench to a business along Airline Hwy. In early October, 2 On Your Side started receiving calls about a strong smell invading homes and drivers along Airline Hwy near Prescott Road.
Following a months-long investigation, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality says it's determined the main source to be Quala Tank Wash in the 6700 block of Airline Hwy.
"They're a solid waste disposal company, whatever they haul in those trucks they clean it out," said Greg Langley with LDEQ. "It can be solid waste from porta-potties, it can be solid waste from other companies."
The Mobile Air Monitoring Lab found compounds that produce odors including Hydrogen Sulfide, but not levels that exceed any health standards.
"It's typically described as a rotten egg odor," said Langley.
LDEQ says Quala is hooked into the City-Parish sewer system. The material is treated at the site and the discharge goes to the city sewer. Quala pays a fee for that.
The company's permit hasn't been violated, but LDEQ says it's working with the City-Parish and Quala to find a solution to the stench that works for everyone.
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"The business has a right to operate but we also believe that you need to be a good neighbor," he said.
With the ambient temperature dropping, the stench has become less noticeable. LDEQ says it visits the site weekly to monitor the situation. Calls and emails to Quala were not returned.