Geneva company's printing job may cause natural gas-like odor

Strathmore Company in Geneva has informed the city the business will be printing another propane safety pamphlet, which has generated a "natural gas-like" odor detectable in the community in the past.

Strathmore, which operates on Gary Lane near South Street and Kaneville Road, will be conducting its latest production run from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 7-8 as well as Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 11-12.

The company is printing materials for a customer that has a small scratch-and-sniff area being applied.

The scent being used for the scratch-and-sniff contains Mercaptan, the same odorant that is added to natural gas to make it noticeable.

Mercaptan is a harmless, organic substance made of carbon, hydrogen, and sulphur that is detectable to the human nose at levels of less than one part per million. Since natural gas in its pure state does not have a smell, Mercaptan is the ideal additive to colorless, odorless gases so they can be identified well before they reach hazardous levels.

Residents in the vicinity may periodically smell the Mercaptan from the company's exhaust depending on current wind speed and direction. There is no danger being posed to the community from this commercial print job. The company has printed two similar brochures earlier this year.

However, should people believe an odor is stemming from another source, or if they have knowledge of an actual natural gas leak, please call 911 immediately to report the incident.

Residents with questions regarding the print production smell can call the Geneva Fire Department at (630) 232-2530.