The ongoing saga of a Laveen composting facility has reached a crescendo as residents continue to struggle with the overpowering smells that have plagued their neighborhood. According to ABC15, the site near 27th Avenue and Dobbins Road has been handed a cease-and-desist letter after zoning violation charges were brought against its operations. The company has been fined $750 and is required to vacate by March 10, 2025, or to apply to continue operating under a special-use permit.
Residents have not been shy about voicing their concerns. "I'm next to them, I'm just a few feet from them and it's been a nightmare," Maria Gallegos told ABC15 in an interview. They spoke of odors resembling "an old bottle of wine left out overnight" and feared the impact on their quality of life. In one particularly distressing incident, Jose Gallegos recalled, "We called the fire department because it smelled really bad like gas." Jose Gallegos added, "We were like, 'There's something wrong here something is going to explode.'"
On the other side of the controversy, the facility, operated by Arizona Green Guys, has a firmly stated mission to reduce landfill waste by creating fertile compost from organic matter. Despite the complaints, the facility owner claims they passed every inspection and that his business is helping more than it is harming the community. However, an inspection by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality uncovered "brewery smells" and a "strong odor of decay," as reported by KYMA. In response, the department advised the facility to stop storing industrial wastewater in a basin to potentially lessen the offensive odors.
