Introduction

I am starting this blog because I am a concerned Father, Husband and Citizen of Franklin, TN. If you live in South Franklin you have definately smelled the obnoxious odor coming from the Superior Essex plant on Southeast Parkway. Or even if you have been to Target, Kroger or even True Value you may have smelled the odor. I have heard first hand the odor described as "band-aids" or "burning wire" and even "sweet tar."

All of the information I will put on this blog will be fact based and not based on personal opinion unless it is specified. My goal is to inform you as my neighbor and just as a fellow human being. If you are informed you may be more likely to take action to protect your family as I have chosen to do. I am not going to deny that there is a problem nor am I going to deny that there is an odor because I dont want to smell it anymore.

I understand that it will effect not only property values but internal pride that you may have made a mistake moving here. Those two issues can be changed but only by action and the more people get behind this the more pressure we put on legislators the more change we will see with Superior Essex. Its easy to say that the "others" will take care of it and even easier to believe that it will be fixed without action. Superior Essex is an international giant that isnt in the business of spending money if it isnt going to make them money so fixing this problem is last on their list.

We have been told that Superior Essex wants to be a "good neighbor" but I know if my neighbor was blowing obnoxious odor towards my house with a fan daily and even on holidays I would be pissed and probably do something about it. We have also heard that they are investing all this money ($1M us dollars) to upgrade the ventalation and reduce odors but similar cases of air quality issues costs a company around the $15M range.

I am going to leave you with some facts in this introduction that may get you interested in reading more of the information on this page.

- Superior Essex has been operating on an expired Title V permit since 2003 and they use chemicals found to be carcinogenic. (http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=66128)

- The Essex Group Inc., which owns Superior Essex, a wire-making plant in Franklin, paid the state of Indiana $44,900 in fines for violations at its plants there — including a $25,000 fine for once violating the state's air regulations. (http://article.wn.com/view/2009/11/02/Indiana_fined_Essex_for_pollution/)

- Electronic air-sampling and meteorological equipment will be installed first at nearby Moore Elementary School and then at Winstead Elementary School by state Department of Environment and Conservation crews. (http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091206/COUNTY090101/912060336/State-will-test-air-downwind-from-Superior-Essex-plant)

- In 2006 according to EPA records, release of chemicals seen below increased dramatically. Below are just 2 of the most dangerous chemicals being released:

[Phenol] +15,134 lbs of Fugitive Emissions (1,230 lbs (2005); 16,364 lbs (2006))

[N-Methyl -2-Pyrrolidone] +8,646 lbs of Fugitive Emissions (4796 lbs (2005); 13,442 lbs (2006))
(http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/tris_control.tris_print?tris_id=37064SSXGR120SE)

- Essex reported the release of 9,447 pounds of phenol, a hazardous substance that when emitted into the air is characterized as having a distinct, sickeningly sweet and tarry odor. Superior Essex also released several other volatile organic compounds or VOCs, known to have toxic health effects on humans and the environment (http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=66195)

-Chemicals released by Superior Essex include Phenol, Trimethylbenzene, Dimethylphenol, copper, Cresol, Cumene, Ethylbenzene, Butyl Alcohol, Pyrrolidone, and Xylene. (http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/tris_control.tris_print?tris_id=37064SSXGR120SE)

So follow if you wish but at least look at the information I am providing first before leaving or deciding not to act.