KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Experts gave the community an update Tuesday night on what they have learned so far, studying the notorious odor that has wafted over the northeast area of Kalamazoo for decades. It included representatives from the state of Michigan, the EPA, and Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services.
The primary culprit from the Graphic Packaging Plant is Hydrogen Sulfide. Five separate monitoring studies detected levels that might cause a rotten egg-like smell, but nothing that would cause health problems. State Health Department Toxicologist Brandon Reid says H-2-S at these levels may irritate residents, cause stress and headaches, but even at higher levels, it hasn’t caused disease.
The panel says all these conclusions are based on short-term studies. Long-term impact studies on H2S and other chemicals in the area are underway. In the meantime, the Feds, the State, and the City are all applying pressure to get Graphics Packaging to improve their operations and minimize nuisance odors.
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