News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Residents on the northside of Alpena have been dealing with a foul odor from the Decorative Panel International plant on Ford Avenue. The plant was forced to store its byproduct outdoors and over time it has decayed. Now that it is being moved to a landfill, the smell has intensified when it’s disturbed. Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora said the plant is in the process of having the waste hauled away.

ALPENA — Residents in Alpena have noticed a foul smell coming from Decorative Panel International and it has become a topic of concern and curiosity on social media.

During Monday’s Alpena Municipal Council meeting, Mayor Matt Waligora explained in layman’s terms what is causing the aroma, and more importantly what is being done to reduce or eliminate it.

Representatives from the plant were scheduled to appear at the meeting to update the council themselves, but Waligora said they were unable to attend.

Waligora, who recently toured the facility that makes wood products, such as paneling, said DPI stored byproduct waste from its production process outdoors, and over time, it has decayed. He said the decay is the most intense near the ground, and now that the material is being relocated, the disturbance and movement of it is releasing the odor.

“They pick it up and mix it with other dry products, because the landfill won’t accept it if it is wet, and it gives off a pretty good stench,” Waligora said. “That is what people have been smelling.”

Waligora said DPI is having the byproduct hauled to a landfill as quickly as possible, but limits set by the dump on how much it can take at one time, is causing the process to go slower.

Waligora said DPI has a 30-day timeline to fix the issue, and was told by plant officials that shouldn’t be an issue, and the smell should begin to abate soon.

“I have been told the worst of the product is gone already, and they are ahead of schedule moving the stuff out of there,” he said.

For a spell, the now closed bio-plant took the byproduct from DPI, and used it to produce its own products, such as deicers for airports. Now that it is closed, DPI is left to find other options on how best to handle the debris.

Lafarge gave DPI some lime to spread on the ground where the piles were, but it won’t reach its full effectiveness in countering the order until the area receives more rain, Waligora said.

At the end of his update, Waligora said anyone who has questions or concerns should call the plant, and representatives will explain the process and what causes the issue, as well as what corrective measures are being used.