Attorney General's News Release

April 13, 2005

Nixon, city of Carthage file public nuisance suit against RES for failure to control foul odors coming from plant

Carthage, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon and the city of Carthage today announced a lawsuit filed in Jasper County Circuit Court against Renewable Environmental Solutions for failure to abate a public nuisance — namely, a foul odor that area residents have found intolerable.

"The people of Carthage deserve the right to enjoy their homes and their community without having to tolerate a rotten stench every time they walk out their front door," Nixon said. "RES has received numerous complaints, and has had ample opportunity to find a remedy. Perhaps the court will get the company's attention where the city and the public could not."

RES, a joint venture of Changing World Technologies and Con-Agra Foods, operates a plant at 530 N. Main St. that utilizes a thermal conversion process to convert agricultural and animal wastes to oil, gas, minerals and fertilizer. Much of the waste comes from Con-Agra's turkey processing facility in Carthage.

The lawsuit alleges that since the construction of the RES plant, the operation of the processing facility and associated waste storage and handling continues to cause odors that "unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of private and public property" and "threaten the public comfort, safety, peace and welfare."

Nixon and the city are asking the court to declare the odor a public nuisance, and to direct RES to take the necessary steps to eliminate it. In addition, RES is being asked to pay any associated legal fees.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818