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DPI cited again for odor

News File Photo The Decorative Panels International Alpena plant appears in this News File Photo.

ALPENA — For the third time this year, Decorative Panels International, Inc was issued a citation from the State for producing a foul odor that impacted some residents in Alpena.

The company has submitted its response to the the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, saying unseated poppet valves used to control airflow to the biofilter were not seated correctly allowing a potential one- inch gap that allowed for the release of the steam that contained the smell.

The issue has been remedied and is not an ongoing problem, DPI said in its letter to the state.

On October 31 around 12:17 pm, State inspectors detected a strong odor along Ford Avenue and in the neighborhood north-west of DPI as far as Miller Street and Walnut Street. The wind was primarily out of the south-east at 0-5 mph onshore from Lake Huron. The odors were impacting area residents and described as a burnt woody odor with a sweet woody component. The smell was identified at a level 3 on the odor scale on Ford Avenue at Miller Street.

The plant said the faulty valve was shut down and the issue fixed quickly, but it admitted mis-seated valves produced the smell for several hours on October 29 through October 31, but the wind direction on the final day is what caused the odor to impact the nearby neighborhoods.

It is not the first time the plant and odor have been an issue in Alpena. The foul odor reared its head several times during the summer, which led to protests outside City Hall, and a class action lawsuit that is still in its infancy.

The State issued citations in August and September and each time the smell was generated from the holding lagoon. The plant began adding more fresh water from the Thunder Bay River and added additional aerators to correct the problem.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.

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