Foul odors in Cali, Colombia, lead to environmental probe of oil company

A wave of offensive odors is plaguing the southern and eastern parts of Cali, Colombia, causing distress among residents and prompting an environmental investigation. The strong smells, described as resembling rotten meat, chicken coops, or wet dogs, have also been reported in neighboring municipalities like Candelaria and Yumbo, suggesting a regional problem.

This olfactory nuisance has been exacerbated by high temperatures attributed to the El Niño phenomenon. In response to citizen complaints, the Department of Administrative Management of the Environment (Dagma) launched a community-driven initiative, using a digital form to map the odor's intensity, location, and time. This data helps pinpoint the source for more precise field inspections.

Public outcry and initial inspections have pointed towards a company that produces oils and fats, located in the rural area of Candelaria. Aerial images of the plant, Refinal S.A., were circulated, further fueling suspicions. Consequently, the Autonomous Regional Corporation of the Valle del Cauca (CVC) has imposed preventive measures on the company.

CVC's South-East Regional Environmental Directorate ordered Refinal S.A. to immediately cease all discharges of domestic and non-domestic wastewater, whether treated or untreated, into a sub-derivation of the Fraile River. The company is now obligated to comply with this preventive measure, marking a significant step in addressing the widespread odor complaints.

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It smells like mondongo, chicken coops, dead rats, corpses, or wet dogs.