Smoke billows from the International Flavors & Fragrances plant on Lane Avenue, on Jacksonville's west side, on Thursday, May 15, 2025. | Michelle Corum, Jacksonville Today
Published on May 16, 2025 at 11:56 am
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Obnoxious odors are still a problem for several neighborhoods near a Jacksonville industrial plant on the city’s west side.
Residents with that complaint attended an open house Thursday regarding the air permit renewal of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. at 2051 Lane Ave N. Many have blamed IFF for “obnoxious turpentine-like” smells.
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Cindy Mathieson of Murray Hill lives about 5 miles from the plant. “Quite often, early in the morning, I walk out my front door and I smell the stench produced by IFF,” she said. “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and I can smell it because it has seeped into my home.”
Mathieson said she wakes with clogged sinuses and headaches.
The problem has been around for years, and hundreds of nearby residents have complained about it to the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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Mathieson believes the smell dissipated when the city conducted a year long study in 2022 and the odor was monitored. Envirosuite, an environmental consulting company, installed sensors to track the odors in Murray Hill, Mixontown, Riverside, Lakeshore, Commonwealth and other spots.
Mathieson said the results of that study were somewhat “inconclusive” and since they stopped monitoring, the odor is still there, albeit not as consistently.
Mathieson said when she has made complaints to the city. City investigators will follow up, but she said no one from The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has ever contacted her.
The Department of Environmental Protection did not provide a media spokesperson at the meeting Thursday.
Mathieson arrived at the meeting to fill out a comment card at a Department of Environmental Protection information table. She wants the department to know she’s been dealing with the issue for more than five years.
“I would like to see the (department) grow some teeth and bite a little bit harder on IFF,” Mathieson said. “Apparently, fining is not enough. The fines need to be more, more severe and more often.”
IFF released this statement:
“The State of Florida has some of the most stringent air permitting regulations in the country, and Title V permits ensure compliance with both state and federal environmental laws. IFF remains in full compliance with our Title V air permit.
“Throughout more than 20 years of operation at our Jacksonville facility, we have utilized best-in-class technology and robust monitoring processes to ensure that we are preventing air quality impacts and complying with all applicable laws. We look forward to continuing to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection throughout the permit renewal process.”
The permit authorizes IFF to operate a “crude sulfate turpentine processing facility.” It includes three steam boilers, a vapor collection system and three diesel fuel emergency engines, the Department of Environmental Protection says.
The open house was held at the Kent Campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville. Comments can be sent to the Department of Environmental Protection at Kathryn.Craver@FloridaDEP.gov until May 22.
