Stellantis again dinged for air quality violations at plant on Detroit’s east side

Detroit — Jeep maker Stellantis NV has been hit with another air quality violation notice tied to its Mack Assembly Plant on the city’s east side, according to a notice from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

The violation is the automaker’s sixth since last September regarding air quality in the area surrounding the plant.

An EGLE official notified the plant’s manager via a violation notice earlier this week that during a Sept. 30 investigation, staff with the agency’s air quality division observed “persistent and objectionable paint/solvent and chemical odors of moderate intensity … impacting residential areas downwind of the facility which were determined to be emitting from” the plant.

The investigation was prompted by reports of “nuisance odors,” a persistent complaint of some residents who live near the facility on Saint Jean Street.

EGLE has asked Stellantis to take action to correct the violation, and to submit a written response to the notice by Oct. 14 that explains the causes and duration of the violation, whether the issue is ongoing, what steps have been taken or the automaker’s plans to take to remedy the situation, and what the company is doing to prevent it from happening again.

“Stellantis has been implementing corrective actions related to our Mack Assembly Plant as submitted to EGLE earlier this year,” company spokesperson Jodi Tinson said in a statement Friday. “We are investigating this recent incident and will work with EGLE to address this issue in a timely manner.”

Stellantis invested $1.6 billion into the expansion of its Mack Engine Complex to build Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs starting in the summer of 2021. Soon after, residents neighboring the plant began smelling paint and chemical odors and reported eyes watering, respiratory issues and nausea.