Mayor, DPW Chief Pushing for Speedy Work on New Incinerator Scrubber

Synagro officials say the company's bankruptcy won't affect efforts to replace the busted air scrubber letting foul odors emmanate from the company's sludge-burning incinerator on Cumberland Street.

DPW Director Sheila McGauvran said during an initial conversation with an Synagro official about fabricating the replacement part (new scrubbers aren't stockpiled), he asked for her patience while the part is made.

McGauvran said she told him, "I can't be patient. This is a quality of life issue. It's unacceptable."

McGaurvran said she reached Pam Racey at Synagro's corporate office late Friday afternoon. "We did indicate to them that this current situation is unacceptable," she said. 

Residents have been calling the city about the foul odors emmanating from the incinerator all week, she said. The issue was also mentioned during Monday night's City Council meeting when Councilman Bob Moreau asked about complaints he'd heard about the odors from the incinerator.

McGauvran told Moreau about 80 percent of the smell is caused by the faulty scrubber, and noted Synagro's recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing might delay a speedy repair.

"We're going to have to take a hard line on this," Moreau said Monday night. 

"I agree," Mayor Leo Fontaine replied. 

During her conversation with Racey Friday, "She said that (bankruptcy) is not an issue," McGauvran said. On Monday, she also mentioned that the situation violates the company's state air permit. "So we may be able to get the State of RI on board to help us."

By late Friday, McGauvran said she'd insisted that Synagro tell its fabricator to speed up work to replace the part. Fontaine is expecting to hear from them about the repair over the weekend, she said.