Refinery Thought to Be Source of Odor
A foul odor blanketed portions of Lomita, Wilmington and San Pedro on Monday morning, prompting 20 residents to complain to air quality officials who said they suspect that the smell came from either the Mobil Oil refinery in Torrance or the Unocal refinery in Wilmington.
“The odor apparently migrated between the two refineries,” said David Rutherford, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Rutherford said inspectors could not pinpoint the exact source of the smell. But based on wind direction and descriptions provided by residents--who said, among other things, that the air smelled like garlic, cabbage, corned beef, a skunk and refinery gases--Rutherford said inspectors believe the odor was that of a sulfur compound released during the refining process.
Spokesmen for both refineries said they found no evidence that their plants caused the problem.
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