I smelled it two nights ago - like burning plastic. Need to hunt the people down who are doing it and make them breathe it for a while.

it is coming from the medical equipment company along I91 that makes surgical staples I have actually had liquid plastic land on my windshield while driving in the northbound lane

The name of the company is Covidien I believe. It used to be Tyco/US Surgical. I live across the street and it can get gross. They must be doing some manufaturing at night so less people will notice the stench.

I personally travel this stretch of Highway twice a day, at 12 noon on my way to work, and around 11pm on my way home from work. I believe the smell is actually from the Metal Management facility on the Southbound side. It smells alot like heated metal with chemicals burning off of them. Which is understandable considering the metal does get very hot there, As well all know, there is usually 1 or 2 fires at this facility a Year due to the Scrap Piles Spontaniously Combusting.

I lived in Fair Haven between 1990 and 1993 and complained about it back then! I was probably the only one at that time. Sad to hear that it's still a problem.

What's more important: the public health or making money? We all know that the answer is money. If you stop breathing long enough, the smell (and everything else) goes away...

reopening for continued discussion and action

This stink has an illegal smell to it. I am sure they are breaking EPA laws, or illegally burning something. Especially since they always seem to do it at night. Somebody has to do something about this! What is wrong with the city officials around here?

I think calling the TV stations and media is the best option. WTNH, and any others.They will investigate any pollution story, but, they need a good a lead. If anyone has a good clue to about where it is coming from, that would be very helpful.

Toxic New Haven et al. Want to check this out. Any suggestions or direction. Bill (NH Register) 203-687-9220

Thank you Bill! I am not sure how to guide you except to tell you when I smell it. But I can't figure out where it is coming from. I would advise you to try the suspected areas that some have mentioned here. Like along Rt 91. It will most likely require night investigation. If you are up to it, and available on call or something. I would help you out, if you wanted.
Mike

Toxic New Haven, As I stated in my post above I personally travel this highway twice daily, around Noon time, and then around 11pm on my way home from work. I believe this smell is coming from the SIMS Metal Management Facility that is adjacent to the Southbound side of I-91 in North Haven. The smell appears to me to be of chemicals being burned off of metal in the process of them Cutting down, or otherwise processing the Scrap metal that is brought into the facility.

I recommended that the CT DEP Air Pollution Complaints Line follow this issue using the list on the right. They have now received two emails about this. Hopefully they will take notice and keep us posted as they investigate this issue.

it's an industrial area.
back in the 1980's, we came out of the North Haven Cinema late at night, and the air smelled like sewage.

Hi! I'm the original poster...was gone for a bit, but I'm so happy to see that other people are concerned about this issue. Just as an FYI, I did contact the state DEP, filed a complaint on their "complaint line" and made a few phone calls. I was eventually referred to the health department for North Haven, who told me he "drove around a bit" and "couldn't smell anything." After an extended phone call where I pushed the issue a bit (it smells acetone-based), he told me I was probably smelling my neighbor's dryer sheets. Really. Or maybe the mud flats. He eventually intimated that I was just insane. It smells like cancer to me.
I just don't want my town to smell like New Jersey. Friends that come visit comment on it. Yikes. Anyway to send this link to town hall?

Thanks everyone...

yes Kim, it truly is in your head, it was also my imagination that a glob of liquid plastic landed on my windshield, the other complaints are also undoubtedly mass hysteria. Unfortunately we will have to wait until some innocent motorist gets liquid plastic in their eye before something is done

Maybe it would be helpful if people could report/post the times and places they were/are when they smell it.
I know it takes time, but it may save us sucking in pounds of carcinogens every day.

I haven't smelled the particular odor in about a week, but winds can always make a difference. Who knows.

For the record, I now live in Hamden, off Mather Street. I smelled it around 11p last week or so.

I also smelled it when I lived in the East Rock section of New Haven. It was almost always at night.

I will definitely post here again, when I smell it again.

Thanks for your comments.

PS: I have traveled a lot along industrial corridors, worked in chemical plants, and lived near oil refineries. This smell here is very unique to me. It is something I have never smelled before. It's not a familiar toxic smell that we may all be familiar with from driving on the NJ Tpke, or past other factories, or refineries. It is something (at least to me) very unique to the New Haven area.

Perhaps this might help.

Thanks again.

Smelled it this morning....like a cross between sulfur and a wet dog. On Middletown Avenue at the entrance to the Highway near the diner. Gross, wish the city took the problem more seriously.

Debbie, what time did you smell it? Keep posting. Let's see if a pattern develops. Thx.

I smelled it around 8:30 a.m.

I smelled it just past exit 9, heading south on 91. It was 6:45am.

Has Anyone thought of Investigating the SIMS Metal Management facility? I have stated it numerous times in several other posts. They process all sorts of Metal products, Cars, 50 Gallon Drums, all sorts of Scrap. I smelled it the other night around 11p as I headed home from work, and I was Directly Adjacent to this Facility heading North Bound. I can almost 110% Assure you that this is where it originates.

Target parking lot stunk today. Really awful around 1:00. People getting out of their cars commenting on the weird smell.

It appears to me, once again, that this is a Common Sense issue. Exit 8 area is just South of SIMS Metal Management, Target is just North, right up the street on Universal Drive. Investigate the Metals they are processing, and What may have been inside of any Barrells or drums.

Common sense may be right. The smell in the area yesterday afternoon (Target/Staples) was disgusting.
Drove down the small road that I thought led to the SIMS metal management, but can't really find my way back there. How about some TOWN or STATE officials taking some time out of their day to track this down. Oh, that's right...they don't care if we all get a big lungful of cancer on a regular basis.

KT, in order to get to the SIMS Metal Facility. Just goto the intersection of Universal Drive and Montowese Ave, Go straight as if going to get on the Highway, but stay straight on the Street.. It dead ends at SIMS Metal Management.

KT In order to get to the SIMS Metal Management facility you would go Straight at the Traffic light at Universal Drive and Montowese Ave. Instead of turning left at the next light and getting on I-91 South, you would go straight which leads you directly to SIMS Facility. The road dead ends at them.

Odor seems infrequent. Issue referred to town and state officials. Hopefully, the improvement will last.