WolfeNotes.com

Johanna Farms plant, Flemington NJ is source of severe odors. Not exactly “dairy fresh”

DEP Fails to Enforce Law, Even as Severe Odors Persist

Just over a year ago, I was disgusted by and wrote about a foul odor in Flemington (See: Johanna Farms Flemington Plant Upset Causing Huge Odor Problems).

The odor is acute during hot weather.

Last summer, that post generated lots of comments from neighbors of the plant, complaining of persistent odors caused by Johanna’s juice and yogurt waste processing. Interestingly, the comment section at Wolfenotes became a means of informing and organizing residents.

The post prompted main stream media coverage in the Hunterdon County Democrat (see: Awful smell in Raritan is due to sewer problem at Johann food plant) and Gannett’s My Central Jersey (see: Johanna foods admits being the source of foul air in Flemington

For whatever reasons (probably the end of summer heat), the odors seemed to have subsided, or at least I thought so.

But they’re back again this summer!

Again this year, several residents recently have filed complaints with DEP that the odor is bad – I drove by yesterday and the stench was almost all the way to Shoprite.

Here are a few examples of residents’ concerns:

I CANNOT thank you enough for this article. You did an outstanding job! My husband and I have been sickened and, quite frankly, embarrassed by this odor for the past two weeks. It seeps into our home overnight and by the morning I cannot get it out. Even when the weather is cool enough to open up the house overnight and FINALLY turn off the A/C, we can’t. The smell is too awful to allow that. I will also be calling the phone numbers you published, as well as DEP staff

I am a resident in flemington and live right next to Johanna Farms and I think it is a shame for all of our kids in the neighborhood to have to stay inside and play on their summer vacation. This happened several years and Johanna Farms I believe did receive a nice fine you think that they would put a fix to it. People that have pools cannot even enjoy sitting outside and swim with their family or friends. I had a family picnic scheduled this weekend with family and had to cancel it because you cannot sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Hopefully this will be fixed soon and never should happen again

Bill, fantastic reporting! If only our elected officials (and some of the paid journalists) would make HALF the effort to address a problem that has existed long before my 15 years of home ownership started here.

I have already filed a complaint with the Raritan Twp Board of Health and they told me I was the first complaint! …and this after the first 2 weeks of the stench (I am a Dayton Rd resident receiving the full blast).

It amazes me that our elected officials take NO action on this ANNUALLY occurring issue (some years worse than others). Dayton Rd annually always gets a week or two, although not this bad, which we tolerate because of its usually shorter and less intense tenure and the fact that engaging government to do anything always proves to be a life long effort (!).

The lack of compliance and enforcement id galling. I am not familiar with dairy production waste but, I am reasonably confident that systems exist to properly manage the waste so as to capture the gases and recycle them as fuel for the plant (not unlike modern chicken facilities – look into it!). In addition, I will wager that there are “green” funds available from the state and/or feds and/or privately to finance such a recapture/energy project.

Thanks for your help and lets hope our efforts in forwarding this to our neighbors finally gets some real attention from the people that should already be on this.

It is now 2011, and there is still an odor in the town. We noticed it about a month ago. Where we live, the air smells like cat urine, but closer to the Johanna farms plant it smells like decaying flesh. We had been wondering for a while what the smell was and who to call. After reading your article we plan to call the DEP. Has anyone else noticed the smell this year? We posted something on Yahoo a few weeks ago in response to someone elses post about it, but Yahoo deleted the postings.

I have just moved here in the Flemington South Estates and we are ALARMED by the stench. I haven’t even unpacked yet and I don’t know that I am going to. I have already called the 1-877-Warn-Dep # and gotten a case #. First thing tomorrow I am going to call (973) 656-4444 to report it locally to the DEP. I am also calling the Raritan and Flemington Board of Health and Hunterdon County and I am ready and willing to sign a complaint. Who else is willing to step up and be counted? Let’s get a lawyer and let’s start legal action. I cannot believe the amount of money people pay here in mortgages, rents and taxes and this stench is ok???? This is the foulest of toxic odors. Even the girls who work at Rita’s last night complained about the stench. Let’s join forces and get this taken care of. The billboard in Flemington says, – you’re going to love it here and so far I HATE it and regret ever setting foot in this town. Stand up people of Flemington and Raritan and fight for your town. It’s a beautiful place that smells NASTY and is hazardous!

What is going on at Johanna Farms tonight? I just called the DEP Hotline 1-877-927-6337 and hope that my neighbors are doing the same! Ladies and gentlemen, did we buy homes in this area so that we can never open our windows or gag as we walk out of the front door? Even the Shoprite smells. The odor is completely out of control! If it is bothering you as well, please file a complaint with DEP. Surely there is something we can do to stop this

I have been advising people to file complaints with DEP – but obviously, more organized and forceful action is needed to pressure DEP to enforce DEP permits and State Air Pollution laws.

Waste treatment technology exists to stop the odors. Johanna must install modern technology.

You should not be forced to live with smells from Johanna!.

So, to my friends in Flemington, here are some additional things you could do:

• organize yourselves into a local group “Stop the Stink in Flemington” ought to get their attention
• write letters to the editors of local papers
• contact State legislators and ask them to intervene with DEP
• threaten a boycott of Johanna products if they don’t upgrade their treatment system and fix the problem immediately
• hold a protest event – with signs – during rush hours on Rt.  31 just outside the plant. Invite media
• attend Raritan Township Committee hearings and ask for their support in pressuring Johanna and DEP to enforce the law
• explore lawsuit options

Good luck – and let me know how I can help!

If you keep the heat on Johanna and DEP, you are sure to win!