Judge orders temporary shutdown of Pullman Innovations feed plant amid lawsuit over foul odors

A Cook County judge has ordered an animal feed plant on the South Side of Chicago to temporarily shut down, after city and state officials accused the company of violating air pollution laws and causing hundreds of complaints from neighbors about foul odors.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the City of Chicago obtained a temporary restraining order against Pullman Innovations on Wednesday, after filing a lawsuit against the company in August.

Peggy Salazar, who lives near the plant in the South Deering neighborhood, said she has been dealing with foul odors from the plant for 40 years.

"Think about sticking your head in a trash can on a 100-degree day and taking a big whiff," Salazar said. "You almost do feel like you do want to throw up. You know, it's gagging."

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."

In a lawsuit filed in August seeking to get Pullman Innovations to clean up its act, the city and state accused the plant of causing alleges air pollution in violation of permit conditions, construction of a boiler without a permit, failure to operate pollution control devices and more.

"When it does come this way, I do smell it, and I say, 'Well, I know it's going to go away. So, what can I do?" said South Deering resident John Sandoval.

On Wednesday, a judge granted the state's and city's request for a temporary restraining order, stopping odor-causing operations at the plant at least until Jan. 14, 2027, when the next hearing in the case is scheduled, or until the facility addresses the excessive odors and comes into compliance with environmental law before that date.

Despite that court order, there was still a foul odor in the air around the plant on Thursday.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency last inspected the facility in 2025, and reported the odors were so strong, it "made breathing difficult for the inspectors."

Pullman Innovations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.