ARPIN SMELLING BETTER (FINALLY)
Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 -- 2:41 PM
A stinky summer has given way to a sweeter smelling September in the small Wood County Community of Arpin."When there's not much wind - especially at night - it has gotten over the whole village," laments Arpin village president John Esser. "It's pretty ripe."
The stench comes from rotting dairy products at the old Arpin Dairy plant. The facility is now being leased by Prestige Milk Proteins LLC, a casein plant.
"I was getting quite a few phone calls per night at one time. It was just about enough to make your eyes water. It was pretty bad," says Esser.
A waste product was kept at the facility and froze over winter, it thawed and fermented in Spring ? the odors began in May.
"Once you hit the hundred-degrees there in June or July - that was the peak."
Esser says the company has been ?pretty good? to work with, but the problem has put a town in need of industry in a tough spot. They've tried to address the subject delicately with plant officials.
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