Irwindale Needs to Save Its Sriracha Plant
I’ll stipulate there is an odor problem. That lungs and noses will get irritated by the fumes. That’s been well covered in the news. In the interest of fairness, lets peek at the other side. This is a local business success story exactly like what our economy needs. The man built there by invitation with expansion and jobs on everyone’s minds. Air quality regulators can find no health risk. The complaints are “mostly from 4 homes”. New air filters/scrubbers in by June 1st.
I have experience with AQMD compliance. It’s kinda simple. If you want to emit in the LA air basin, you will have to filter/scrub accordingly. It’s essentially a one time capitol expense and minimal maintenance and inspection costs. My boss pays about two grand a year for permits to run the devices that clean our emissions at a gold refinery/smelting shop. The alternative is locate in a more remote location that does not require such equipment. But then you have built in logistical costs that will be with you as long as you are located way out there somewhere. Everything travels further in and out, every working day.
My opinion is just let this Vietnamese immigrant upgrade in stages to fix the problem. The firm I happen to work with for our air filter baghouses tells me this is doable. My guy says he quoted a system for the spice factory. He is quite the expert doing ventilation AQMD compliance and even product movement like flour through pipes at big bakeries.
Maybe looking at air filters and the air conditioning at these homes would make sense. Maybe the company and city can assist.
Tran, a Vietnamese immigrant who started his company in a small space in L.A’s Chinatown, moved to Irwindale after the city offered land in its industrial development project area and a 10-year interest-only loan so he could triple his sauce output. But while Irwindale is mostly industrial — there are fewer than 1,500 residents — Huy Fong Foods is across the street from homes, and some neighbors have complained that spicy odors are making their throats burn, eyes water and noses bleed.
Since October, air quality regulators have received 70 complaints, most of them from four households. Inspectors have made dozens of visits to the factory and nearby homes, yet have not cited the company for any environmental violations. Of course, the odors are a concern to residents even if they don’t trigger an environmental violation, and Irwindale officials are right to keep the pressure on Huy Fong Foods. But their tough tactics would be more justifiable if the odors presented a clear health risk or if Tran was ignoring the problem. He’s not. He reached out to air-quality regulators for advice early on and intends to have a new air filtration system in place by June 1 that he hopes will cut the odors.
In the meantime, Irwindale’s intransigence has prompted officials from a dozen other cities and states to court the company. A Texas lawmaker said he was troubled that Tran’s business was burdened by “excessive government interference” and said Huy Fong Foods would be appreciated and supported in his state. California can’t afford to let other states poach its entrepreneurs and private investment over local government squabbles that should be resolved in good faith.
More: For California’s Sake, Irwindale Needs to Save Its Sriracha Plant