KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo City Commissioners has received a quarterly update regarding the ongoing odor mitigation strategy for Graphics Packaging International (GPI), as well as the city wastewater treatment facility.
Last fall, the City Commission approved an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption Certificate for GPI. As part of this approval, the City Commission required quarterly reports providing updates on the progress of odor remediation efforts by GPI and the City of Kalamazoo.
Residents have previously said that the foul odors have been a nuisance and health risk for years. Complaints have also been made regarding odors from the city wastewater treatment plant, which sits along the Kalamazoo River.
Should the company not show any significant progress, or is found to not be operating in compliance with the agreement, the City of Kalamazoo could rescind the tax break if it chooses.
“I expect significant reduction in orders by the time these projects are completed, and we’ll have a period of time within that six year window to see major improvement,” Commissioner Jack Urban said at that time. “If we don’t see major improvement, that’s the end of it.”
During a virtual meeting Monday night, Commissioners received updates to the project, which was discussed with Director of Public Services James Baker.
Baker highlighted some of the accomplishments since last September and discussed ongoing efforts. Some of those efforts include monitoring gasses inside the city sewer system.
“One of the first things we wanted to highlight is that the city is doing a pilot for real-time hydrogen sulfide (H2S) monitoring within the sewer system now,” Baker said. “Before, we’ve talked about the Envirosuite software, we’ve talked about the community sensors and the sensors around the wastewater plant. Those were above-grade, those are in the air that are sensing atmospheric levels of H2S that originated either at the wastewater treatment plant, potentially at the paper mill, or potentially within the sewers. We’re taking that now a step further, and we’re gonna be measuring gas levels inside the sewer itself.”
To help accomplish this, the services of a company called SmartCover will be utilized, according to Baker.
“This is essentially a very sophisticated manhole cover that has the instrumentation with it, and it utilizes either radio or cellular networks to get that information back to the treatment plant. We’re working to implement this right now.”
Another highlight Baker pointed out is the installation of Envirosuite community sensors, also known as an “E-Nose,” which is used to measure levels of gases in specific areas.
“We added three more sensors, so we now have operational sensors at Rockwell Park, the Krom & Prouty Park, and at the NACD Building, kind of in the location boundary of Ransom, Church and Park,” Baker said. “This brings now, our community sensor count, up to six.”
Other projects being worked on right now include an online reporting page for community members, which will include data read-outs in real time. Residents would also be able to fill out an online odor complaint form on this page.
“Community members can just go to a URL or webpage and they can see the Envirosuite system up with sensor readouts,” Baker said. “What we’re currently working on is integrating a sewer base map into the functionality of the webpage, and we’re working on this real time with Envirosuite. We hope to have this publicly available, up and running by quarter four of this year.”
When it comes to construction projects, Baker says construction on one carbon scrubber unit has been finished, with another three to go. These units are meant to treat odors at the source of generation, according to city documents. Baker said the complete unit has been operational since the fourth quarter of 2020.
“We’re working now in construction to bring those remaining three units online,” Baker said. “During our last report, the fourth quarter report of 2020, we stated that it was our goal to have those operational by spring 2021, and so we’re working towards that goal.”
While construction is underway, Baker added that there have been slight delays due to cold weather earlier in the year.
As for Graphic Packaging, Baker said that the company uses hydrogen peroxide to treat odors onsite, and are doing so in combination with an oxygen system.
City documents further state that GPI submitted its Nuisance Minimization Plan for Odors (NMP) to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in December. They have received feedback from EGLE, and have a meeting scheduled later this month for further review, according to documents.
City Commissioner Eric Cunningham said he was pleased with the results so far.
“[Director Baker] has taken my calls and text messages and literally three or four in the morning to try and address what’s going on and how we can better serve our community,” Commissioner Cunningham said.
Cunningham also asked whether there was an estimated launch time for the Envirosuite data website.
“We’re providing a general date range of the end of summer, fall, to the end of the year,” Baker said. “I understand that sounds like a long ways out, but we want to make sure it’s right and functional and it gets through all the testing, and that it’s easy to use by the public when we roll it out.”
The Odor Task Force will continue to meet and will provide quarterly reports to the City Commission.
Further Viewing –
- View a recording of the Kalamazoo City Commission meeting on YouTube at this link.
- Technical reports and appendices on this subject can be viewed on the City website at this link.
- The Odor Task Force Quarterly Report can be viewed online at this link.
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