Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken the long-simmering Bastrop odor fight to court, suing Darling Ingredients over what residents say are suffocating smells from the company’s rendering plant that drift for miles and drive people indoors. The lawsuit describes odors neighbors liken to “cooked grease,” “burning feathers,” and even “boiling blood,” and accuses the company of skipping needed fixes and falling short on required recordkeeping. Paxton’s office is asking a judge for court-ordered repairs, strict operating rules, and civil penalties to shut down what the state calls a public nuisance.
What's in the lawsuit
The petition, filed in Travis County at the request of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, outlines a series of alleged violations at the Bastrop plant and asks for both a temporary and permanent injunction. According to the Office of the Attorney General, the state wants the court to require hydrogen-sulfide monitors that can detect concentrations at or above 0.08 ppm, limit how long raw product can sit on-site to 12 hours, and tighten maintenance and recordkeeping rules. The rendering facility, located at 264 FM 2336, is blamed in the filing for odors that residents and investigators have reported detecting up to 10 miles away.
TCEQ enforcement and prior orders
State environmental regulators were already on the case before Paxton went to court. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality opened multiple investigations and, in July 2025, approved an agreed order that hit the site with a $39,375 penalty for nuisance odors and related permit violations. As detailed in the Texas Register, TCEQ found the plant repeatedly exceeded hydrogen-sulfide limits and required Darling to come up with an odor-control plan. Those enforcement files, along with community complaints dating back to mid-2024, form much of the backbone of the state’s new lawsuit.
Neighbors and officials push back
Hundreds of odor complaints to TCEQ are logged in state records, and residents describe waves of heavy stink through late 2024 and into 2025 that made it tough to sit on porches, use backyards, or attend outdoor events. Local officials and an advocacy group called Stop the Stink Bastrop have leaned on both Darling and regulators for months, pressing for faster and more visible action. City leaders in Bastrop say they are watching the state’s enforcement efforts closely. Community Impact reported that elected officials welcomed Paxton’s lawsuit while also urging TCEQ to stay aggressive on oversight.
Company response
Darling Ingredients says it has received the petition and plans to respond through the courts, while insisting it is “committed to being a good neighbor and protecting the health and safety of our employees and the communities where we operate.” In a statement to Spectrum News Austin, the company pointed residents to a Bastrop-specific information page and a dedicated complaint hotline, and highlighted ongoing upgrades at the facility. Local officials say Darling has pledged more equipment and process improvements even as the lawsuit moves forward.
What the state is asking the court to do
The petition spells out detailed injunctive provisions: calibrated flow meters, pH controls on scrubbers, near-real-time hydrogen-sulfide monitoring, and tight rules for logging every material dump. The state wants immediate corrective actions overseen by independent experts, along with civil penalties, attorneys’ fees, and post-judgment interest. The requested monetary relief is framed within statutory limits and seeks penalties for each day any violations continue. The full list of proposed court orders and the legal arguments behind them is included in the filing submitted to the Travis County court by the Office of the Attorney General.
Why hydrogen sulfide matters
Regulators have focused heavily on hydrogen sulfide because, even at low concentrations, it carries a strong rotten-egg odor and can irritate the eyes and respiratory system. At higher levels, it can become life-threatening. Federal safety guidance warns that the nose quickly gets used to the smell after continued exposure, which makes odor a lousy early-warning system, and notes that very high concentrations are immediately dangerous to life or health. For technical details on hydrogen sulfide risks, see NIOSH/CDC.
What happens next
The case now heads through the Travis County district court system, where the state will push for the injunctive relief laid out in its petition while TCEQ continues separate regulatory oversight. Neighbors and local officials say they plan to track both the courtroom fight and any follow-up enforcement to see whether promised plant upgrades translate into lasting relief from odor episodes. For additional reporting on the petition and the state’s claims, see The Texas Tribune.
