Firm working to identify source

Regarding recent stories about odor complaints in the Marysville area: As a business in the North Sound since 2004, Cedar Grove takes this issue very seriously.

During the last five years of operations at our Everett site, up until June of this year, we had only one unverified odor complaint as documented by Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA).

Since our founding in 1989, we have diverted 4 million tons of organic material from the landfill, preventing 3.72 million metric tons (C02e) of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of removing approximately 670,000 cars from the road. By transforming organics into compost we are diverting material from landfills and helping local and state governments meet their ambitious recycling goals.

We are working with the PSCAA to identify what part our Everett facility has played in the Marysville area odor. We believe that there are a number of contributors to the odor: low tides, waste water sewage treatment facilities, odors from manure spreading and irrigation, and other yard waste, bark and manure handling facilities adjacent to our Everett facility. To help address odor concerns we have stationed an odor inspector in the area to provide daily information on odor sources. We also monitor our computerized weather station that records data daily to verify potential odor conditions.

Any odors emanating from our facilities are not toxic or harmful. Odors from composting facilities generally have an earthy forest smell. We do not receive or process raw manure. Odors from our facilities do not smell like cow or chicken manure.

We welcome visitors to our facility. Please call us and we will provide a tour. Also, I encourage you to call us if you suspect an odor was generated at our facility. We will investigate reports immediately. Our Everett site can be reached at 425-212-2515.

Steve Banchero

President/Chief Executive Officer