Homeowners suing Mount Prospect factory operator over odors

Saying a Mount Prospect factory’s “noxious odors” are interfering with their property rights, a group of homeowners have filed a class-action lawsuit against its operators.

Plaintiffs named in the lawsuit live in the Longford Glen subdivision in Des Plaines, across from the Prestige Feed Products plant at 431 Lakeview Court in Mount Prospect.

Named as defendants are Prestige Feed Products LLC and Cereal Byproducts Co.

The homeowners, who say they represent all owners or occupants of residential property within a one-mile radius of Prestige, have complained for years about a burned cheese smell and noise coming from the factory.

The suit seeks undisclosed compensatory damages and costs, including attorney’s fees.

Prestige makes livestock and pet food through a process that involves dehydrating and drying raw cheese and soy materials.

“I can no longer enjoy my backyard nor have company over because the pollution smell is overwhelming when the wind blows our way,” plaintiff Mary Beth Stillmaker states in court documents. “I cannot take walks due to this pollution nor open my windows and doors.”

“(We) cannot get a good night’s sleep because of the industrial fan blower noise operating all night long,” fellow plaintiff Sargon Merza states.

Merza states he also notices the odors and noise when walking or driving in the neighborhood.

Messages seeking comment from Prestige and its attorney were not returned.

A court date for the case has been set for July 1 before Cook County Judge Clare Quish. The judge already is hearing litigation between the company and village of Mount Prospect, which has been seeking a court order requiring Prestige to cease operations until the odors are eliminated.

Prestige recently has installed odor-mitigating equipment, company attorney Riccardo DiMonte previously told the judge.

“We think the complaints have subsided,” he added.