Chicago, Illinois sue Pullman Innovations animal feed plant in South Deering for air quality, labor violations

Neighbors of a South Side animal feed plant have complained about the noxious smell and air quality for years. Now the city of Chicago and state of Illinois are suing Pullman Innovations to clean up the air, as well as for alleged illegal work and permit violations.

One resident has been pushing for cleaner air and accountability for decades.

"Think about sticking your head in a trash can on a 100-degree day and taking a big whiff," is how Peggy Salazar described the smell.

The odor, described in the new lawsuit as "excessive," wafts through her neighborhood intermittently daily.

"You almost feel like you do want to throw up. I'm gagging," she said. "Our neighbor is not a good neighbor."

Salazar has been dealing with the scent for 40 years. The manufacturing facility about half a mile away has operated under different names over the years. It's currently Pullman Innovations. According to their website, they provide "highly nutritional, vegetable oil products formulated to meet your feed ingredient needs."

"It's been a constant battle. We have tried to get them shut down. We have tried to see if they would not at least put in the right equipment," Salazar said.

The lawsuit filed by the City of Chicago and the Illinois Attorney General's Office alleges air pollution in violation of permit conditions, construction without a permit, failure to operate pollution control devices and more.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement, "The company needs to address the odor issues and air pollution and ensure that its operations comply with Illinois' environmental laws."

According to officials, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency last inspected the plant in 2025, and the odors were so strong it "made breathing difficult for the inspectors."

While shooting this story, several people stopped to complain about the facility and the smell.

"It's putrid," said Oscar Sanchez. "Why does it have to go this far for a company to take action?"

Sanchez leads the Southeast Environmental Task Force, and said they've logged more than 800 formal complaints from residents about the facility, including health concerns.

"Air and pollution has no borders; we've seen with the Canada wildfires how that spread to Chicago," he said.

Residents and advocates alike hope the lawsuit is the beginning of change after years of asking for help.

"Now that we know better? We should do better," said Salazar.

CBS News Chicago Investigators reached out to the city and state health departments about the neighbors' concerns and they said they are looking into it.

We also reached out to Pullman Innovations several times for their comment, but have not received a response.

Full statement from Commissioner Tovar on Pullman Industries

Pullman Innovations has subjected nearby residents to years of noxious odors, and today's joint lawsuit filed by the City of Chicago and the Illinois Attorney General makes clear: regulated businesses that compromise the public health and environment of our residents will be held accountable. Communities on Chicago's Southeast Side deserve the same clean air and quality of life as anywhere else in the city, and this administration will not accept anything less. 

This action reflects the City's sustained commitment to environmental justice. For years, the Bureau of Environmental Permitting and Inspection, now housed in the Department of Environment, has worked directly with residents and the alderman's office, conducted routine and complaint-driven inspections, and issued violations when the facility failed to meet its obligations. The City is now taking legal action due to the facility's continued failure to meet its responsibilities to the community. 

The City's message to regulated businesses is clear: Compliance is not optional. DOE's Environmental Permitting and Inspection team investigates complaints, issues citations when violations are found, and will continue pursuing every available enforcement tool, including litigation, to protect residents from the harms of pollution.

Full statement from the EPA

Due to the pending enforcement, we cannot comment on the case beyond the Director's quote.  As noted in the news release, the case is based on a referral from our Agency. We defer to the Attorney General's Office for any further comment.