The sweet smell of frying more than a million donuts a day prompted a neighbor of a new baking plant in Haverhill to plead for relief.
Sean Wilson, 452 N. Broadway, appeared before the Haverhill City Council Tuesday night, complaining about a sickeningly sweet odor in his neighborhood. It began two months ago with the opening of a new Dunkin’ Donuts manufacturing plant.
“My house smells like donuts all the time for the last two months. It’s distracting and it’s heavy. I live right near Tattersall Farm. I assume anybody going to the farm now that’s taking a nice walk is just being overwhelmed by donut smell. I don’t know what that’s going to smell like during the summer. My question is more about the air quality,” Wilson said.
The donut company was on the Council’s agenda seeking a permit to store 19,000 gallons of edible shortening used in its fryers as well as for a 5,000-gallon tank for diesel fuel for a backup generator. Both tanks would be above ground.
J.T. Couch, a lawyer representing Cafua Management Company which operates the plant off Route 97, told councilors the plant is currently operating at about 40% capacity and will eventually supply 800 Dunkin’ shops in New England with donuts daily. He brought two full trays of his firm’s products for councilors to sample.
He added the company is operating on a temporary occupancy permit issued by the city because equipment is still being installed. As of now, the plant is frying donuts from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., but eventually it will have a 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a week operation, the attorney said.
Ward 4 Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski asked Couch if he knows of any methods for reducing the odor which is spreading over the neighborhood. Couch said the plant is meeting federal air quality standards and that venting filters are changed every 90 days.
Ward 5 Councilor Shaun P. Toohey suggested delaying action on the oil permits until the Council’s next meeting Tuesday, Jan. 13, to give the city’s inspectional services department time to conduct an air quality study.