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It's that time of year again, when the aroma in East Grand Forks
ripens. But American Crystal Sugar Co. is pre-empting the complaints
this year with a media campaign.
It recently sent brochures to some area residents and placed ads
in the Herald explaining why its refineries create such a stink. The
ads also featured a toll-free line.
But so far, no one has called to complain, said Joel Smith,
American Crystal's regulatory affairs manager. He's hoping it will
stay that way, he said.
The ads are straight-forward, posing the question: "Why do
sugar beet factories smell in the spring?"
The answer: rotting beets, factory operations, and wastewater
ponds. According to the ads, the smell should improve slightly after
May 17 when the last of the beets are sliced.
In the past few years, American Crystal has spent millions of
dollars in odor-eating equipment. About $10 million in the past five
years, according to Smith.
This fall, the company will install machinery to compress its
solid waste, which would otherwise go into settling ponds, and add
another water treatment plant, totaling between $5 million to $6
million.
The East Grand Forks City Council approved a $5.75 million bond
for the projects in April. |