Submitted by Morgan Alexander.
For the better part of a century, the Tacoma Aroma has been an embarrassing stigma on our city. While sources of the infamous reek have been many, one of the worst offenders has been rendering plants. These contribute the “rotting animal carcass” element to our distinctive perfume.
Now, Tacoma’s last remaining rendering plant, operated by large multinational corporation Darling Ingredients, Inc, wants to extend their lease with the Port so they can restart their stinky business after it caught fire in 2022.
City and Port leaders, this is your moment! The universe has handed you a career-defining opportunity of a lifetime on a silver platter: the ability to redefine Tacoma as a vibrant, first-class metropolitan center.
Say it with us city leadership, “Tacoma residents have suffered long enough! No More Tacoma Aroma!”
To rid our city of rendering plants, here’s what needs to happen:
- Port of Tacoma Commissioners should decline a lease extension with Darling Ingredients Inc.
- Tacoma City Council should place an immediate moratorium on rendering plants.
- The Tacoma Planning Commission should support a Land Use Code Amendment filed by the Eastside Neighborhood Advisory Council to prohibit rendering plants from operating anywhere in the city.
Time is of the essence, as lease negotiations between the Port of Tacoma and Darling are expected to wrap up in the coming months. Since leases typically span decades, our elected leaders must take action now to save future generations from having to deal with a putrid-smelling city.
Arguably, the Tacoma Aroma has negatively impacted the quality of Tacoma’s neighborhoods and commerce. Property values and employment opportunities have lagged behind other Puget Sound cities. We have been unable to retain a single large private employer. The last one, Russell Investments, left town 15 years ago.
Tacoma needs to clean up its act if we want to attract jobs that pay a livable wage.
People want to live and work in a place that is visually attractive and doesn’t stink.
Originally published on the Tacoma Sun website.
I worked at this facility for 15 years and yes, we had some days to where there was an older, but those are far and few between they installed a air scrubber that omitted a smell of lemons. but there was many days to where the clean air commission I think it was called Puget sound clean air would come up with bogus claims that Darling international had a foul smell, I personally checked out their claim and found it to be non-substantiated, and the reason why they would put out these bogus claims was to find the company and to have them pay a penalty that’s all. For the most part, the plant was ran very well. I have worked in and around the Port of Tacoma for over 30 years, and the majority of the aroma of Tacoma came from the paper plant not the rendering plant. To deny them a lease, and possibly increasing their footprint would be a travesty. There are many union jobs that come from this facility for local families. They recycle 100% of animal byproducts that they sell to local businesses in Washington and Oregon, as well as use cooking oil that is made into biofuels.
Morgan Alexander,
Your plea is on target. Having suffered from the Tacoma Aroma while visiting my grandparents in Tacoma and while personally living in Pierce County for a total of 70 years, I cannot help but comment in support of your request.
If the decision-makers fail to make the right choice their decision will negatively impact Tacoma citizens for decades to come. Tacoma citizens may suffer from two rotten smell issues in that case.
#1. The stench of animal carcass rot.
#2. The stench of politics generated by a narrow-minded quest for money and power by the decision-makers without any care for Tacoma citizens..
Decision makers, please make the right choice.
Joseph Boyle –
Part of the “ugly sister” syndrome suffered by Tacoma in comparison to Seattle has been the Aroma. The comment about large private employers leaving is one aspect of Tacoma’s mediocre reputation. Another is that a disproportionate number of government employees from JBLM choose to live elsewhere in towns such as Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Olympia and other areas to the south.
Great article! Please no more Tacoma Aroma!
Seattle, Bellingham and Olympia would never even have something like this proposed!
I never even knew Tacoma had a rendering plant.
It is well known that the majority of odor mostly came from the paper mill.
The majority of odor in Tacoma today is deposited along the sidewalks and doorways by people who have been granted special privilege to do so.
At least with the rendering plant we didn’t have to step in it.
In recent years, all I smell in Tacoma is the odor of the Marijuana processing facilities in Nalley Valley.