SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A meeting was held Thursday morning to determine possible solutions to an odor that many Barrio Logan residents say has made them sick for years.
An investigation by the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District described the smell lingering in the neighborhood: “The odor has been described as an awful, sour, vinegary-type odor, or as a vomit-like odor. The quality of life for the residents of Barrio Logan has been strongly impacted.”
The smell comes from a nearby biofuel plant owned by New Leaf; the facility processes used cooking oil into biofuel and converts 20,000-25,000 gallons each day.
For the past 11 months, the County Air Pollution Control District has conducted nearly 60 inspections of both the North and South properties and have issued three violations in this time.
Documents laid out the findings of the investigation and improvements the company must make, from making sure tanks are properly sealed to closing windows at the plant.
But many residents told ABC 10News that the odor is not just impacting their time outdoors, it’s also causing health problems.
Resident Gloria Rebolledo said, “There's hardly anything we can do about it until the plant decides to do something. Otherwise, we keep smelling this smell and getting stomach aches and headache from it."
"It's beyond bearable when you have to live in it every single day. If affects our quality of life and the air we’re breathing to wanting to be outside with our friends and family or kids,” resident Lindsay Wynn said.
Officials from New Leaf sent a letter to the Barrio Logan community saying they are working with the county to figure out the best way to move forward.
