stand the smell of spoiled food and dead fish in your neighborhood for some South East side residents, complaints of the smells have been going on for decades.

They say the cause of the odor is Pullman.

Innovations.

A vegetable oil plant in South Deering earlier this month.

The city and state filed a joint lawsuit against the facility.

Now residents are wondering when they can expect to get some relief.

Joining us to talk more about this, our Oscar Sanchez Co executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force and Alderman Peter Chico of the 10th Ward on the Southeast Side, which includes neighborhoods like South Deering in South Chicago.

We also invited Pullman innovations but have not heard back.

Thanks to the 2 of you for joining us.

Alderman Chico describe the smell for us.

What's it like?

>> lot of and sewage smell is terrible.

And after talking residents and a daily basis.

Quality of life is impacted.

We've had a school not be able to go outside recess because of how that smell is.

residents not being able to walk with barbecue, that there's hope that the smugglers.

>> even working with city leaders and explaining these complaints from residents for some years.

Why do you think they've finally decided to step in?

>> Well, we took we took action as you remember year ago we held a press conference if an opponent of station's community leaders, residents and told them we would not stop until we see some type of action.

The carton, state rep turn starter states.

Senator Robert Peters writing Weathers.

So Oh, my are mental protection agency and the attorney general's office.

We want to get everybody fall so we could see some type of action.

>> Oscar, the issue is about more than just the smell.

Of course, there are also concerns about the chemicals toxins that are actually being inhaled along with that smell.

What impact might that have on health?

>> When it comes to health really thinking about exacerbating the actual respiratory systems that are going through just to give example.

The remaining 234 tons volatile are going to compound the area's only permitted to do.

25 tons a year.

That is 10 times the amount allowed and just thinking about that alongside the respiratory issues, trudging already going through the unit.

Also the cancer rates among all these are the just exacerbate the effects, but a lot of things that happens is you frank.

It is to respiratory issues and just increases chances of cancer, which is not normal for any community and should or should not be quite that long for the elderly.

And to be clear, what you said was they have been admitting 230 tons.

>> First is the 25 that that are allowed So a lot the big difference.

The lawsuit alleges that there so sure I follow my advice, even allegedly.

>> You know, releasing 234 tons.

They've been having a minor source permit.

That only allows 25 tons and they've been allowed the sense that you're believe 2018.

So it's been more than 8 years right?

>> Alderman Chico's you mentioned last year, residents filed a class action lawsuit against Pullman innovations on behalf of more than 2400 households near that plant.

Tell us more about about that lawsuit.

Please.

>> Yeah, he's once again.

Be looking and other actions to enact some type of.

About Com.

You know, this has been going on for decades.

2, 2 different owners at this property residents.

We're sick and tired into into own hands to do something.

And that's when the transaction loss of a starter.

>> Oscar de think residents who have been inhaling these owners today deserve some sort of financial compensation 100%.

>> I think one of the things that are phase also thinking, you know, we appreciate you know, the governor.

Also the mayor taking action through their agencies, but it was over 800 complaints that had to happen.

Order for there to be a investigators.

They were on site and when they won on 55th south, off of them actually continue.

an investigators going there and a hazardous area.

This is something that children out of family is going through every single day.

They need to be, you know, really need to be soft financially because it kind of the day if they're alive.

>> What what else do you think?

What what would justice looked like?

What else you like to see come of these lawsuits for for neighbors in these communities when it comes to neighbors?

I think the neighbors and to decide for themselves.

But hearing on the ground is that first of all, if the facility was not thinking about its neighbors should be shut down.

And I think that's for the neighborhood to continue deciding.

But I think, you know, when it comes to exacerbating people's health, it really has to be.

What does it mean to justice when your affecting a community who already has higher rates of cancer, high rates What does justice look like?

Is it paying reparations for those items?

So I think there's a laundry list of, you know, where we have as an advance in the community.

What are the things we can do and ensure that not only is there a cost that used to be paid for what's happening now, but the decades that this has been going on for.

>> Alderman Chico, you've said before that this would not be happening in a Northside neighborhood.

The still believe I >> given fact, we had a community meeting in may.

Well, we had do general there and next question was posed.

2 community member because they brought a scenario where the same situation was happening up north and it took much shorter time for that issue to get results might still be believed.

>> What do you think?

I mean, do you think the you know, the powers that have the ability to do something about this?

Do you think they've heard that?

>> It's game day our community about include after.

They said years and decades of having this issue, it finally got their attention.

They set up a simple Web site for numbers easily go there to file complaints.

unlike asked onto complaints were filed throughout these last 7 months.

>> Oscar, there's the broader issue of air pollution on the South side as well outside of just what's being emitted from this facility.

Terrell tells more about that and how it how these residents are disproportionately affected.

>> So I think, you know, Chicago is one of the best cities in the world, but it's also the logistics hopes when it comes the Midwest.

So we when it comes to airport system when it comes to art diesel trucks emissions, there are many different ways that logistic companies, they are one provide economic opportunities.

But there's also ways that were never be seen.

The actual fact when it comes to community members.

So I think there's a many different facets and factors that come into play when it comes air missions.

And that's a really great for getting something that we probably before is that we have one of the I know, because that just got in Chicago.

So we're looking to continue monitoring and folks can check that out.

At Purple Air Clarity, Minors online and continue moving forward.

One thing I do want to make sure is that if there is a need for anybody to report older, please make a 3, 1, one report, AP report because we see that it does take time.

But there is going to be action that takes place.

And who are some of the people who live in these communities where the residents.

>> So the residents are high for me.

Food.

I emotional because but it's the moms in the pops.

It's the workers.

It's the people that, you know, work every day to make sure, you know.

They bring food to table.

But most importantly, they're working class communities, their communities of children grandparents.

They are our neighbors.

So there are people who also owned small businesses.

So I mean, I can go down.

But the storm, the southeast side the story anybody in Chicago or just trying to make the best of the situations all Chico, you know, same question to you.

These are your people easier constituents, right?

Who are who are the people who live in these communities?

>> Yeah.

I mean, look.

Really fresh air is something that we know.

We have an issue with southeast side.

Look.

Time and time again.

Residents have called my office come to me and so mean, what are we going to do about this issue?

What are we going to do about this?

No beach, the walks you cannot.

Walker tried to score.

We cannot even have a barbecue in by people that we are.

there's so we're going to I'm slow, slow floors.

As this case progresses to see what how the community to be helpful us.