Effingham County residents cite DRT plant for strong odor

EFFINGHAM, Ga. (WTOC) - Some people in Effingham are saying enough is enough after years of dealing with a terrible smell supposedly caused by a chemical plant in the county.

DRT, which produces perfume ingredients and resins, has been at the center of numerous odor and sickness complaints dating back to 2017.

The DRT America plant in Effingham County has been operating for the past seven years, and since then, many people living nearby have raised concerns about a persistent and, at times, unbearable odor.

Just over a year ago, there was a spill of about 500 gallons of pretreated sulfate turpentine at the DRT facility located off Ebenezer Road, leading to a strong smell in nearby areas.

Warmer temperatures throughout the year kept any lingering odors at bay, according to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. But now that the cold weather is back, the gas in the air is going to stay close to the ground, making the smell noticeable again.

Lifelong Effingham County resident and District 5 Commissioner Phil Kieffer said the odor won’t go away until DRT stops operating in the area.

“Coming off the holidays, it really ramped up, and people were home, I was home with my family. And it just highlights it. It’s just not going to go away. We thought we made good strides a year ago, and I was hopeful. But it’s back,” said Kieffer.

The latest report from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was released in February of this year.

The report detailed how the EPD collected air samples between Oct. 23, 2023, and Jan. 22, 2024, and that “an initial evaluation of these results has not identified any unacceptable risk to residents.”

The report also stated how additional research is being done by the EPD and EPA to find other possible sources that may be contributing to the odor in the area.

In an email sent to community leaders and DRT managers, Kieffer detailed the odor’s resurgence over the Thanksgiving holiday.

He also said this in the email: “It has become completely clear to me that DRT is unable to operate without negatively impacting the quality of life of area residents. I strongly urge DRT to cease operations. Coexistence doesn’t seem to be attainable.”

“You know, I want to let the people know that we’re going to do everything we can in our power to give them that quality of life back. And I will continue to fight whatever it takes,” said Kieffer.

We reached out to DRT for comment about the smell over the holidays. Here’s the response we received:

“On December 3rd, we did detect a loose flange, which allowed odors to escape over an 18-hour period. We did not receive complaints during the Thanksgiving holiday period, nor did we have any known issues at the plant which would have generated odors during this period.”

A company representative also said if an odor complaint is received, they perform an end-to-end check of the plant for any possible fugitive odors.