EAST GREENWICH TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Officials are holding a town hall Tuesday night for South Jersey residents still affected by the rotten egg-like odor that has been lingering for nearly a week.
Township officials will be joined by Gloucester County health and emergency management officials, toxicologists, and representatives from the trucking company Trans Chem USA. They will be available to answer questions from residents who have been dealing with the pungent odor.
The scent is not as strong or consistent as it was last week, but as of Tuesday morning, it was still semi-present, especially close to the TA Travel Center in Paulsboro.
A tanker truck, holding 7,000 gallons of a fuel additive, was parked at the truck stop on Aug. 10 when the chemical started to decompose and the odor was released, officials said.
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Trans Chem USA, in an FAQ section posted on the Gloucester County Emergency Management Facebook page, said the odor was coming from the colorless gasses — hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans — that were being emitted.
“They both have odors that can be detected at concentrations that are hundreds to thousands of times lower than concentrations that represent a human health risk,” the company wrote. “Thus, simply because a person can smell these compounds in the air does not mean their exposure is harmful.”
Some residents have complained about becoming sick from the smell, and the odor sticking around in their homes. One person even filed a lawsuit against Trans Chem USA and the chemical company Lubrizol.
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Neither company has commented on the specifics of the lawsuit. Trans Chem USA and county officials say air quality is being monitored and there is no risk to the public, to pets or to food growing in residents’ private gardens.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the East Greenwich Municipal Building. Residents can also join virtually.