Millsboro neighbors have been complaining about the smell — and Delaware Online reports a June odor survey found very strong odors beyond Mountaire's property line.

Millsboro neighbors have been complaining about the smell — and Delaware Online reports a June odor survey found very strong odors beyond Mountaire's property line.

This comes from DNREC records reported today, not from something that happened this morning. Delaware Online says the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control issued Mountaire Farms of Millsboro a notice of violation in September. No fines were issued, but DNREC ordered the company to create a new odor management plan.

The complaints had spiked after a January community meeting about Mountaire's request to increase production from 4,200 to 5,000 tons per week. In June, DNREC and Mountaire staff surveyed odors at 12 locations. According to the notice, they found “odors of a very high level of intensity” at several places, including two off the facility grounds: Herbert Lane, tied to the plant's on-site wastewater treatment, and Layton Avenue, tied to the feed mill.

Delaware Online reports DNREC found violations of two sections of Delaware's air-pollution regulations, though the section numbers were not published. The notice also faulted inconsistent odor reporting. Mountaire's required plan, dated September 2, has a trained employee survey 13 locations around the complex Monday through Friday.

Mountaire says it is complying, but spokesperson Catherine Bassett says the company does not believe it violated its permit: “There are many potential sources of odors in the Millsboro area that are not associated with our operations.”

So the state says its survey work found a serious odor problem reaching into the neighborhood. Mountaire says the smell cannot simply be pinned on the plant. Both positions are now on the record.

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