PUTNEY — A state environmental official has encouraged residents, frustrated with odors and air quality from the Putney Paper Co.'s mill, to keep records of when the offensive odors linger over the town center.
Many of the more than 20 people who attended an April 21 meeting with Philip Etter, environmental analyst with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation live within miles of the Putney Paper Co. Inc.'s mill on Route 5.
They complained to Etter of noxious odors from the plant, which they say sends “little bits of paper like confetti” into the air that settle along Main Street and residences south of the mill.
“This is more than an aesthetic issue for some,” said resident Anne Fines, who said she does not live in her home at Putney Commons, a co-housing community south of the mill. The air quality aggravates her allergies and creates respiratory issues.
The big question posed to Etter: what information did the state need to spur action?
Fines said the group's immediate goal was to improve the air quality by reducing the odors generated by the mill.
'Proud of our record'
“I think voluntary involvement with Putney Paper Mill will work,” said Etter, who suggested residents keep logs to track the odors and meet with mill management to find solutions.
The mill is one of two facilities owned by Putney Paper Co. Inc. According President Frank Tarantino, who has his corporate office in Claremont, N.H., the mill and nearby converting plant produce sheeted tissue paper, paper napkins, and paper towels.
Putney Paper has produced 100-percent recycled products for 50 years, explained Tarantino. The mill diverts from landfills enough paper a month to equal over 2,000 tons of recycled product.
The company employs 130.
Putney Paper's customers cover the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, with the bulk of its business in New York City. Retailers like Macy's and Pier One buy Putney Paper's sheeted tissue to wrap customers' purchases. The mill's paper towels dry many a hand in public restrooms.
Tarantino did not hear about the April 20 meeting until Etter called him the next day.
“We're very proud of our record and how we do things. We try to address issues when things come up,” said Tarantino.
“I don't know why we weren't invited. We would have sent a representative,” he said.
Tarantino said he has not received “that many complaints” over the past year.
“The environmental side is a significant part of our business. It was much less so 20 to 30 years ago,” Tarantino said.
Fines said the goal of the meeting was to allow residents to voice their concerns to Etter and hear his perceptions of the situation, not communicate directly to the paper mill. “That wasn't the purpose,” she said.
“There was no intention to slight,” she said, adding that trying to speak with Tarantino in the past has been frustrating. She mentioned frustration around Putney Paper's decision to not allow residents into the plant to conduct their own research.
Some of the residents at the meeting said similar conversations with the state, town officials, and mill management had already taken place without noticeable success.
Reducing the sludge
The gathering was a follow-up to a September 2009 meeting with Etter and a fall 2009 community meeting, “Visioning Putney,” hosted by State Representative Mike Mrowicki.
Etter's recommendations in 2009 included keeping logs of the time, duration, and intensity of the odors. According to meeting notes, Etter said, Putney Paper Mill would complete installation of a $1 million clarifier that October, a measure that should have affected the odors caused by sludge.
Wastewater produced by the paper-making process contains sludge, a mix of fiber cellulose and clay, which gives magazines and other glossy paper its shine. The sludge is chemically similar to clay used in pottery and causes odor when it accumulates.
A unit called a clarifier pulls the sludge to the top of the water, skims it off, and extracts excess water. The new clarifier pulls sludge at 15-minute intervals compared to the previous clarifier that removed sludge after several days.
According to Tarantino, the clay byproduct is used in composting, to seal open landfills, and animal bedding.
Noxious or toxic? The anatomy of stink
Etter, who has 26 years of experience as an environmental analyst, explained at the April meeting the complexities of investigating odor complaints.
“We're constantly breathing in various toxins. They're there all the time. It's all a matter of concentration and risk analysis,” he said.
He said that when the state investigates an odor complaint, it needs to determine its root source and if it is toxic or noxious.
Noxious odors are considered a public nuance. One odor, from lilacs to rotten eggs, can result from a combination of multiple chemicals. People vary in their reactions to odors as well.
The nose also detects hydrogen sulfide, the primary odor of paper mills, at smaller quantities than most mechanical monitors. The compound smells like rotten eggs.
Hydrogen sulfide is produced by bacteria breaking down human and animal waste or organic materials. It is an irritant and chemical asphyxiant in high doses. In low concentrations hydrogen sulfide can irritate the eyes and respiratory system.
Etter said hydrogen sulfide is dangerous in confined spaces because if it builds up it can suffocate someone. He cited the extreme cases of farmers who died from entering an unventilated silo containing silage.
Etter referred to the level of hydrogen sulfide in Putney as “noxious” and not as “toxic.”
Tarantino said that the Putney's wastewater treatment plant - like all wastewater treatment plants - also produce hydrogen sulfide. He stressed that the hydrogen sulfide from the mill was due to organic materials only.
Craig Stead, owner of Stead Consulting in Putney, said that because the town is in a valley it experiences “intense air inversions.”
In general, inversions occur when warmer air traps colder air so it cannot rise. Anything in the colder air like smog is also trapped. Stead said the inversions in Putney create the most trouble around sunrise and sunset.
Etter recommended residents keep detailed logs including type of odor, time of day, duration of smell, severity of smell and physical reactions, if any. Those logs would help the agency respond effectively. He also recommended working hand-in-hand with Putney Paper.
“The more you [residents] keep the town apprised of the issue the more we can back you up,” Selectboard Chair Joshua Laughlin said. “The more you have recorded, the better we can act.”
Laughlin also stressed the importance of working with the mill.
“[We should do] as much as we can to be good neighbors. They are an important part of our economy,” he said.
Many residents agreed that as much as they wanted the odor to leave, they wanted the mill to stay.
“It's good to have information, because without it you can't solve the problems. We welcome input from the residents,” said Tarantino.
He added the more detail the company received the better to help pinpoint the odor's source.
Daniel Hoviss, owner of Dosolutions in Putney, agreed to develop an online database where residents can keep their log. This electronic form can easily convey information to the state.
He said residents should look for more information and how to enter their own data on iPutney and a link on the town site.
The group decided to gather more information before meeting with Putney Paper management to share their findings.