Something reeks in West Valley City. City officials there are poking their noses into who is making that stink.
A West Valley Cityspokesman said the foul stench that floats in the air on hot summer days is likely a product of E.T. Technologies Inc.
The company has a waste processing site adjacent to the Salt Lake Valley Landfill, which is about nine miles west of Interstate 15 in Salt Lake City.
E.T. Technologies Inc. didn’t respond to a request for comment, but West Valley City officials said the company uses the property to process human waste. According to the company’s website, E.T. Technologiesreceives industrial and petroleum wastes, contaminated soils and municipal wastewater solids.
“It kind of sticks to you when you smell it,” said West Valley City spokesman Sam Johnson. He said residents have complained about the odor for years. Some days there is no smell at all. But, he said, when temperatures climb a foul wind permeates the air.
“They come home from work and instead of going out and being able to enjoy jumping on the trampoline, having a BBQ, they stay inside because the smell is so bad,” Johnson said.
West Valley City made a websitea year ago called “Smell Something, Say Something” to give residents a place to complain about the odor. The form asks residents to describe what the smell resembled, the location in which they smelled it and what inconveniences it caused them.
Johnson said the city also asked E.T. Technologies to fix the problem, but nothing has changed. And if residents continue to be plagued by the periodic funk, Johnson said the city might have to take legal action.
The Salt Lake County Health Department is also looking into the stench. But a spokesman said blaming a single company is premature.
