Dougw Member Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1304 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.73.205.235
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 10:10 pm: | |
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=2006609030693 excerpt: quote:Source of mystery stench puzzles Midtown Detroit State officials try to sniff it out September 3, 2006 BY SUZETTE HACKNEY There's a foul odor wafting through the air around Wayne State University and Midtown Detroit. And the unpleasant smell has residents demanding some olfactory relief. The stench has been overpowering for the last month, and typically creeps into the air in the evening and lingers until the next morning. Residents, and even those driving by, have been forced to close their windows and use air conditioning despite the cool evenings. Some neighbors immediately assumed the Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Facility -- the city's trash incinerator located on Russell Street -- was the culprit. But the smell is not one of burning garbage, it's more of decaying food. ...
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Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua
Post Number: 750 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 69.246.52.34
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 10:13 pm: | |
I SWEAR me and my Mrs. were just talking about this. It smells like rotten milk, and it somehow leaves for a few days then returns. |
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker
Post Number: 1551 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 66.2.148.96
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 10:16 pm: | |
freshmen |
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2921 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.211.42
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 10:26 pm: | |
Instinkerator.
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Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 4343 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.177.81.18
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 11:00 pm: | |
Doesn't this happen a couple of times a year? And, isn't it pretty obvious that there are only a few sources of this smell? |
Urban_shocker Member Username: Urban_shocker
Post Number: 274 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 67.38.29.74
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 11:14 pm: | |
Smells like the incinerator always does to me. |
Mani Member Username: Mani
Post Number: 117 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 68.60.182.26
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 11:17 pm: | |
The city has been smelling like that since the 70's. Off and on. Seriously. |
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000
Post Number: 125 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.14.20.35
| Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 11:20 pm: | |
Yes, it definitely smells of sour milk. During our bike ride yesterday Woodward was unpleasant but Beaubien near the DMC was the disgustingly bad at 1pm. |
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave
Post Number: 426 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 12:09 am: | |
lowell is right its the Instinkerator I was on my motorcycle and got a good wiff of it going down 94 around 11:30 tonight |
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2924 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.211.42
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 12:10 am: | |
Prevailing winds generally carry the stench eastward over the impoverished urban prairie neighborhoods where nobody with enough power will complain. Occasionally it spreads west and that is probably what has happened. The smell is as described, sharply sour. |
Billybbrew
Member Username: Billybbrew
Post Number: 216 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 3:11 am: | |
Wind has been blowing out from a Northerly direction the last couple of days....NW-N-NE... Prevailing winds are from SW generally in this area. Probably what it is.... |
Detroitduo Member Username: Detroitduo
Post Number: 725 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 194.138.39.56
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 3:21 am: | |
You can always tell from which direction the winds are coming from, depending on the smell... From the SW? Smells like refinery. SE? Smells like Canadian Whiskey. NE? Instinkerator. Honestly, I cannot wait for that institution to be shut down. Sometimes when driving down I75, it just REEKS!!! |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 582 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.42.162.164
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 12:08 pm: | |
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Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku
Post Number: 710 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 69.136.147.97
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 12:41 pm: | |
it was genious to put it right by downtown and WSU instead of where all of the other industry is. Thank you Coleman Young |
Yaktown Member Username: Yaktown
Post Number: 19 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 70.236.209.96
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 4:52 pm: | |
Are the Lions back in town? |
Livedog2 Member Username: Livedog2
Post Number: 1077 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 66.227.204.151
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 4:58 pm: | |
I thought the "Hate" thread had been resurrected because that's what it smelled like! Livedog2 |
Kilgore_south Member Username: Kilgore_south
Post Number: 158 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 70.60.16.95
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 5:02 pm: | |
HAH! I was in Midtown this weekend with my family and my dad made the exact same Lions joke. My sister's looking for nursing jobs and somewhat considering DMC or one of the nearby hospitals. But I think the mystery stench kind of turned her off... (Message edited by Kilgore_South on September 04, 2006) |
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy
Post Number: 3698 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.100.44
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 5:48 pm: | |
I know for a fact it's not the old factory on Piquette that went down a few years ago. I'd like to think all of that meat inside the Piquette Market has finally rotted away or vanished somehow. |
Fnemecek
Member Username: Fnemecek
Post Number: 1910 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.215.16.248
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 5:49 pm: | |
Mystery stench? I'm just wondering: has anyone checked the two breweries that operate in Midtown? (Motor City Brewery and Traffic Jam). Beer is a wonderful thing. However, as the grains ferment, it gives off a rather noxious smell. |
Leoqueen
Member Username: Leoqueen
Post Number: 1409 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 67.38.9.143
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 5:50 pm: | |
Some times the stench from the incinerator is so bad that it permeates the concrete walls of CCS! I cant even hide from it in my office! |
Fnemecek
Member Username: Fnemecek
Post Number: 1911 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.215.16.248
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 6:00 pm: | |
Leoqueen, et al. Are you sure it's coming from the incinerator? I'm wondering because the article from the Freep says in part:
quote:"I don't understand where it's coming from; I don't think it can be the city incinerator because it doesn't smell like burning at all," said Glenn Maxwell, 61, who lives on Hancock just off Cass.
If it was the incinerator, it probably would smell like something burning. (Unless the source of the odor was garbage being left outside.) A brewery, however, could produce an aroma that smells more like rotting food. None of this, of course, means that either of the breweries are the culprit. But it does make me wonder why everyone thinks the incinerator is to blame. |
Kilgore_south Member Username: Kilgore_south
Post Number: 160 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 70.60.16.95
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 6:04 pm: | |
Fnemecek- Fermenting beer does indeed smell terrible but it's not the same as the mystery stank. |
Fnemecek
Member Username: Fnemecek
Post Number: 1913 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 69.215.16.248
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 6:36 pm: | |
Okay - I haven't smelled the mystery stink so I'll take your word for it. Thanks for the update, Kilgore. |
Cassie1717 Member Username: Cassie1717
Post Number: 42 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 6:55 pm: | |
For some reason, I've noticed that stench is at its worst on Monday & Friday mornings. What a way to start and end the week! |
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve
Post Number: 3232 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.220.69.129
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 7:20 pm: | |
I don't understand why people would think it's not the incinerator just because it doesn't smell like something burning. Have they never noticed the heaps of refuse in the yard outside the place? This smell ain't nothing new. The south end of Hamtramck is kissed by it when the winds blow right. |
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 942 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.204
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 7:25 pm: | |
Mrs Mauser lived on the 12th floor of the Art Centre Apartments when she lived in Detroit - the odd days when the wind patterns reversed left her apartment right in the odor wafting from Ol Stinky. Gawd that was such a sick rank stank. No - it does not usually smell like burning. It has its very own pungent stink. Lately its been unbearable down in the St Stanilaus District all the way up St Aubin. Last time I was up on the Penobscot observation deck, everybody was asking what the smell was up there. Ol Stinky. Some days I can smell it over in the Indian Village area something awful . |
Livernoisyard Member Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 1337 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 69.242.223.42
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 7:41 pm: | |
Having spent much of my youth near the Miller and Gettelmann breweries, I can state that it didn't smell bad during the 1950s, back when little was done to abate such aromas. Even Jeffrey Dahmer's Ambrosia Chocolate factory had a "nice" smell downtown, along with the four breweries there: Blatz, Pabst, Schlitz, and Braumeister. Breweries smell like canning tomatoes. |
Bussey Member Username: Bussey
Post Number: 212 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 67.149.106.40
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 7:47 pm: | |
How can you think it is anything but the INCINERATOR? Walk past Russell and Ferry and then try to talk about foul smelling breweries |
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 66 Registered: 08-2006 Posted From: 68.41.154.161
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 8:24 pm: | |
Sorry! That was me, went to TJ's and had the Nachos, they always tear me up so bad, but I still love them. |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1263 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 69.136.147.198
| Posted on Monday, September 04, 2006 - 10:59 pm: | |
I totally agree Bussey. A giant trash burning plant within a mile of the neighborhood, and it smells funny? whoo-da thunk it!? luckily I live so damn close to the thing, the smell wafts over my house most of the time :D |
Wmuchris Member Username: Wmuchris
Post Number: 396 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 141.217.44.112
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 8:59 am: | |
It is especially ripe this morning. MMMMMM. |
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000
Post Number: 127 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.14.20.35
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 9:05 am: | |
I've smelled that same strong smell in the past in that area and it definitely wasn't coming from the incinerator. We were riding north on the Dequindre Cut. It seemed to be coming from the Mack and Dequindre area. With the wind direction, it couldn't have come from the incinerator. |
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2932 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.211.42
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:00 am: | |
When plans for the instinkerator were announced, Detroit was suffering the effects of recession and oil price shock. The incinerator was touted as a 'trash to energy' solution - get rid of your trash and get electricity as a bonus. CAY, in the fiscal worst decision of in his tenure bought into that dream. Environmentalists organized opposition and a number of protest demonstrations and activities were organized; I even marched in a couple as my Highland Park house was within an occasional plume radius. Coleman had grown crusty by that time, refused to be budged and the plant went up. It was soon beset with violations and, in the end, resulted in higher disposal fees added to the pollution and the noticeable stink. I can't prove it, but there was a rumor that part of GM's decision to leave its New Center HQ was related to the incinerator as the suits on the famous 14th floor stared out eye-level at the stack less than a mile away. https://www.detroityes.com/nhood/29 ststan.htm gives you an eastside neighborhood view. When out-of-towners attempted to build a medical waste incinerator at the NW corner of Davison and I-75, touted as jobs and tax generator for cash strapped Highland Park, we were ready. This project was also massaged with the promise of a medical services laundry and, yes, a fish farm. When a public hearing was called, few showed up at first, HP folk are notorious late arrivers, and the corporate suits were almost scornfully dismissive of the first speakers. An hour later as the arena gradually filled with about 300 citizens, the crowd grew increasingly louder and angrier. In the end the suits nervously scurried out a side door and the proposal died a quiet death. Today the prosperous, non-polluting, job and tax generating Budco office building stands on that site. |
Itsjeff
Member Username: Itsjeff
Post Number: 6770 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 208.27.111.125
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:15 am: | |
It's been suggested to me by someone who knows these things that the stink is not from the incinerator. It's from Cattlemens & Wolverine Packaging. |
Dialh4hipster Member Username: Dialh4hipster
Post Number: 1778 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.61.187.234
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:16 am: | |
Oh Itsjeff, you and your friends "in the know" ... ;) |
Bussey Member Username: Bussey
Post Number: 213 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 206.208.94.60
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:30 am: | |
OK, again i will repeat... DRIVE BY THE CORNER OF RUSSELL AND FERRY WITH YOUR NOSE OPENED AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THEN not all of the garbage is burned instantaniously and it sits there for a while, stinking. I used to work in the Eastern Market and would go to Wolverine, where they kill lambs, and cattlemans, now called Eastern market Beef, where they kill NOTHING, and they never smelled bad at all. There is this funny creation called the USDA that usually makes sure that those kind fo places dont stink. While not much enforcement is done on GARBAGE INCINERATORS. Aside from the airborne pollution controls that place could smell like my ass crack and no one would care. Garbage Smells |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1267 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.18
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:35 am: | |
preach on! |
Bibs Member Username: Bibs
Post Number: 561 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 198.208.159.18
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 12:38 pm: | |
If the smell occurs in the evening, this could be a case of inversion. As the air cools it sinks toward the ground bringing with it pollution. The warm air on the ground rises. |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1270 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.18
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 12:47 pm: | |
its mostly in the morning and evening. my guess is this complaint has been raised by a new wave of city visitors that haven't spent much time downtown in the last few years. I have experienced the smell for the last eight years, and I'm sure more have dealt with it longer...its far from a new phenomenon |
Planner_727 Member Username: Planner_727
Post Number: 39 Registered: 07-2006 Posted From: 69.87.150.106
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 1:00 pm: | |
Am I missing somthing? "But the smell is not one of burning garbage, it's more of decaying food." It's not the burning that smells! It's the piles of garbage and nasty trucks in the garage that smell! I can't believe the residents in this area have never driven through the I-75/I-94 interchange next to the garbage site... it smells just like a big can of household garbage just about every time! Talk about a negative influence on a neighborhood... what a great place for a operation that stores garbage and then burns it. |
Troy Member Username: Troy
Post Number: 187 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.37.213.65
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 2:25 pm: | |
I have lived in the midtown area for 9 years and have smelled this same smell from the incinerator about 4 to 5 times a year at my house. Never has it been so bad and so many days. There is something different going on as to products they are burning or backlog of trash. It is not just new residents complaining but long time corridor people as well. Something should be done because it does change the mindset of visitors and allows for lots of jokes to be had at Detroits expense. |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 1271 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.18
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 2:32 pm: | |
it could also be attributed to a shift in the prevailing direction of summer winds. |
Quinn Member Username: Quinn
Post Number: 910 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.139.64.80
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 2:38 pm: | |
Someone told me it's a Chemical factory next to the incinerator. I can't argue with this, but I do know that this smell DOES COME from that block. Whoever in the article said it's not the incinerator (or that area/block) because it doesn't smell like burning trash is insane. Just drive up 75 regularly in the mornings and you will smell the rotting trash smell. It's really horrible. Incinerator or Chemical Factory...whatever...they need to clean up that smell. Nobody deserves to live like that! |
Dougw Member Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1308 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 136.1.1.101
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 3:09 pm: | |
It is possible that there is an additional source to this new smell other than the incinerator. In any case, the incinerator is still bad news environmentally and is not even financially beneficial: http://www.metrotimes.com/edit orial/story.asp?id=3053
quote:... The (incinerator) expense means Detroit will pay about $120 per ton to burn its garbage this year, compared to the national average of $34 per ton to dispose of waste in landfills. In southeast Michigan, there’s a glut of landfill space, with per-ton disposal costs averaging $25. As incinerators go, Detroit’s is still twice as costly as the national average of $57 per ton. ...
The best hope for getting rid of the incinerator is probably in 2009, when the bonds are paid off. |
Mrsjdaniels Member Username: Mrsjdaniels
Post Number: 209 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 141.217.46.39
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 3:14 pm: | |
it was stinkin this morning too...i was like :-I WTF is that smell |
623kraw
Member Username: 623kraw
Post Number: 924 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.61.65.162
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 3:35 pm: | |
I-75 at I-94 smells like rotten meat ALL THE TIME! |
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 943 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.218
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 3:51 pm: | |
A romantic portrait of Ol Stinky |
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch
Post Number: 1834 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 208.44.117.10
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 4:00 pm: | |
That's a beautiful pic Mauser. |
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch
Post Number: 1835 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 208.44.117.10
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 4:03 pm: | |
Almost as idyllic as this one...
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Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch
Post Number: 326 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 71.65.11.152
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 4:08 pm: | |
Every little breeze...
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Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2934 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.211.42
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 6:44 pm: | |
I knew someone who worked for a power generation company. He said they timed their greatest releases, stack blowouts etc. for the wee hours of the morning for obvious reasons. This might explain the evening and morning pre and afterglows. |
Fjw718 Member Username: Fjw718
Post Number: 28 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 146.95.15.36
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 7:10 pm: | |
Same thing happened in NYC here about 2 weeks ago. Everyone on Staten Island Began Calling 911, seems as though our DEP just found out the smell was related to elevated Benzene Levels (A human Carcinogen) in the air, but is unsure of the source |
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave
Post Number: 430 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 3:06 pm: | |
the stench was good and strong this weekend around the Instinkerator. |