Residents tell Shawnee commission biosolids odors are disrupting life and harming sales prospects

Several residents warned the City of Shawnee on June 18 that operations at the city’s northern biosolids facility are producing persistent, strong odors that are affecting quality of life and may depress property values.

"It makes it almost difficult to go outside and have a quality of life," Paul McElfresh told the commission, saying the smell sometimes resembles "standing next to a sewer" and that his wife has asthma. He cited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance that calls such emissions "nuisance odors" and said local water-quality professionals "are not doing" adequate odor mitigation.

Dr. Wendall Richards, a physician and Shawnee resident, said flies and odors associated with biosolids make the practice unsuitable near dense residential areas. "It is good fertilizer," Richards said, "but this needs to be rethought." He urged the city to consider alternatives used in neighboring counties that apply treated biofluids away from populated areas.

Home builder Greg Sebastian told commissioners the odor has become a serious obstacle to selling new homes near the old airport site: "You walk out in my house, you can't even go out in your backyard or sit on your back porch to have a cup of coffee. It takes your breath away." Sebastian said prospective buyers recently reacted negatively to the smell and that his new housing addition could be affected.

Commissioners acknowledged the complaints during their closing comments and said staff would look into the issue. The mayor told speakers their concerns were not "going on deaf ears" and asked staff to pursue remedies.

The complaints were all raised during the citizen-participation portion of the meeting; no formal action or motion was made on the record to change biosolids permitting or application sites during the session. Residents requested that staff report back with findings and possible mitigation options.