North Market Business Owners Want Stiffer Odor Ordinance

Local business owners in North Shreveport are pushing for stiffer penalties, when it comes to the smell they say, is coming from Louisiana Proteins Rendering Plant. They think a smelly North Market rendering plant is getting off easy and they want something done. In August the city reached an agreement with Louisiana Proteins and a judge ruled the company had to pay for just twelve violations. The president of the Agurs Business Association tells us the company had been facing forty citations. The rendering plant had until August 29th to pay up, but just now paid the fines. Now an angry business association wants the city to pass a stiffer odor ordinance. President of the Agurs Business Association Debbie Martin says the odor problem around North Market has been plaguing them for years. She starts receiving complaints about the smell every day early in the morning. Joyce Rawls is one of the people who calls Martin. "It makes me feel nauseated sometimes gagging, my co-worker this morning wanted to throw up as well." Aside from that, business owners complained about a recent spill near the rendering plant. They say a non refrigerated truck scattered non edible chicken parts on the roadway. The department of environmental quality is investigating the matter. Otis Randel is working on the case. "Apparently one of the trucks either entering or leaving the facility spilled some liquid out the back that had a foul odor." Now business owners want the plant to be further penalized for contaminating the North side of town.