Mass. attorney general sues Grafton food waste company over odor emissions
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Feedback Earth in Grafton
As the latest chapter of the ongoing issues surrounding Grafton-based food waste conversion company Feedback Earth, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court, alleging the company has been releasing noxious odors for months and is negatively affecting residents in neighboring communities.
The lawsuit requests a preliminary injunction requiring Feedback Earth eliminate the odors the attorney general claims are due in part to unsanitary facility conditions and continued environmental permit violations under the state’s Clean Air Act and Solid Waste Act, according to a Thursday press release from the Office of the Attorney General. The attorney general also requested a permanent injunction and civil penalties for the alleged violations.
Feedback Earth did not immediately reply to WBJ’s request for comment.
The attorney general alleges Feedback Early improperly stored food waste, processed spoiled food, and failed to notify the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection prior to changing its operations.
The lawsuit alleges the emitted odors worsened over the summer when the company began processing lobster shells without permission from MassDEP, with the department and Feedback Earth receiving hundreds of complaints from residents within several miles of the facility. Resident affidavits backing the attorney general’s motion assert Feedback Earth changed the number of its complaint hotline, encouraged residents to make reports outside of the MassDEP’s mandated hotline, and visited complainants' homes unannounced.
The attorney general’s lawsuit comes after the MassDEP fined Feedback Early $6,000 in December for state permit violations and $9,520 in June 2022 due to violations of air pollution and solid waste regulations.
“Every community deserves fresh air and responsible neighbors. No one should be unable to enjoy their yard, walk their neighborhood, or open their windows because a company, even one with an important mission, is prioritizing its business over complying with reasonable and sound environmental laws and regulations that protect the health of our residents,” Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said in the release.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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