Post by crudo on Sept 17, 2005 12:55:06 GMT -5
SHUT DOWN THE TALLOW PLANT!
The Modesto Tallow Plant, (located on the south side of Modesto, off of Crows Landing road), is a facility open since 1917, and renders dead animals and oil from fast food companies into animal feed, and other products. In doing so, the Modesto plant creates a horrible smell of dead animals, and the rendering process which turns them into products. When the plant was first built, the plant did not have many neighbors, but since 1948, a nearby school has existed only a couple blocks away. Children, local businesses, and people living near the plant suffer day in and day out from the horrible smell, despite sometimes daily complaints against it, and large amounts of charges for violating air pollution laws. The plant now is facing a lawsuit of almost ¾ of a million dollars, forcing the plant back into the news, and manifesting local resistance against it.
The Tallow Plant is also a glaring instance of environmental racism in a poor and working class community. The owner of the plant lives in Texas, far away from the smell, and disassociated from the destruction that the plant is causing. The city, while fining the plant repeatedly, has also not taken serious action to ensure that the plant will be shut down, or at the very least brought up to par to ensure that it will stop releasing the disgusting smell. It is hard to imagine a Tallow Plant existing anywhere else than in a poor community that is populated largely by working class, and people of color. This is an example of racism at work, when a large company uses it’s power to continue operating in an area that it thinks can not defend itself.
Some Facts About the Tallow Plant:
Modesto Tallow has violated more air pollution laws than any company in the San Joaquin Valley. Their violations include creating a public nuisance, malfunctioning equipment, and failure to render animal carcasses within 24 hours.
Half of the $1.4 million dollars that Modesto Tallow owes various agencies in fines has not been paid.
Modesto Tallow refuses to pay at least ¾ of a million dollars dating since 2002.
The company has failed to pay property taxes.
In 2003 Modesto Tallow was sued for leaking blood and animal parts into roads by the facility.
In 2005, Modesto Tallow refused to clean up animal parts, (guts, hooves, etc), that trucks going to the facility left in by the near by school.
Modesto Tallow was also suspended in Oregon in 2003 and 2004 for violating the clean water act, polluting rivers with chicken waste.
Odor from the plant is bad at night and on weekends, when district officials aren’t able to investigate.
Students at the nearby school suffer with headaches, vomiting, and poor school scores.
Diary and feed industries pressure state lawmakers to pass favorable laws towards rendering plants, protecting places like Modesto Tallow from shutting down or fines. These laws are cited by Modesto Tallow as proof that they do not have to pay administrative fines. (Taken from Modesto Bee).
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
-If you live in the local area, and the smell affects you, Call1-800-281-7003, which is the air district’s complaint hotline.
-Make copies of this flyer, and share it with others.
-Call the Modesto Tallow Plant and complain! (209) 522-7224.
-Email us at: modanarcho@yahoo.com, and stay up on information about actions against the Tallow Plant.
The Modesto Tallow Plant, (located on the south side of Modesto, off of Crows Landing road), is a facility open since 1917, and renders dead animals and oil from fast food companies into animal feed, and other products. In doing so, the Modesto plant creates a horrible smell of dead animals, and the rendering process which turns them into products. When the plant was first built, the plant did not have many neighbors, but since 1948, a nearby school has existed only a couple blocks away. Children, local businesses, and people living near the plant suffer day in and day out from the horrible smell, despite sometimes daily complaints against it, and large amounts of charges for violating air pollution laws. The plant now is facing a lawsuit of almost ¾ of a million dollars, forcing the plant back into the news, and manifesting local resistance against it.
The Tallow Plant is also a glaring instance of environmental racism in a poor and working class community. The owner of the plant lives in Texas, far away from the smell, and disassociated from the destruction that the plant is causing. The city, while fining the plant repeatedly, has also not taken serious action to ensure that the plant will be shut down, or at the very least brought up to par to ensure that it will stop releasing the disgusting smell. It is hard to imagine a Tallow Plant existing anywhere else than in a poor community that is populated largely by working class, and people of color. This is an example of racism at work, when a large company uses it’s power to continue operating in an area that it thinks can not defend itself.
Some Facts About the Tallow Plant:
Modesto Tallow has violated more air pollution laws than any company in the San Joaquin Valley. Their violations include creating a public nuisance, malfunctioning equipment, and failure to render animal carcasses within 24 hours.
Half of the $1.4 million dollars that Modesto Tallow owes various agencies in fines has not been paid.
Modesto Tallow refuses to pay at least ¾ of a million dollars dating since 2002.
The company has failed to pay property taxes.
In 2003 Modesto Tallow was sued for leaking blood and animal parts into roads by the facility.
In 2005, Modesto Tallow refused to clean up animal parts, (guts, hooves, etc), that trucks going to the facility left in by the near by school.
Modesto Tallow was also suspended in Oregon in 2003 and 2004 for violating the clean water act, polluting rivers with chicken waste.
Odor from the plant is bad at night and on weekends, when district officials aren’t able to investigate.
Students at the nearby school suffer with headaches, vomiting, and poor school scores.
Diary and feed industries pressure state lawmakers to pass favorable laws towards rendering plants, protecting places like Modesto Tallow from shutting down or fines. These laws are cited by Modesto Tallow as proof that they do not have to pay administrative fines. (Taken from Modesto Bee).
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
-If you live in the local area, and the smell affects you, Call1-800-281-7003, which is the air district’s complaint hotline.
-Make copies of this flyer, and share it with others.
-Call the Modesto Tallow Plant and complain! (209) 522-7224.
-Email us at: modanarcho@yahoo.com, and stay up on information about actions against the Tallow Plant.