Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Login Shop Logowear Home About Growing & Production Products Community Careers Contact Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar Facility Odors This page answers some of the most common questions regarding odors in sugarbeet processing. No matter the location of a sugarbeet factory in the United States, sugarbeet processing creates odors. Michigan Sugar Company is committed to using the best and latest technology to control odors at all our facilities – and we are constantly investigating new practices and technologies to minimize our impacts. What causes odors at sugarbeet factories? Beets are perishable vegetables and can deteriorate. In general, there are odors inherent to the breakdown of organic material and the process of extracting sugar from beets. Consequently, there are three key areas that we constantly monitor for odors: beets in storage (where weather and temperature variations can lead to odors from the beets), beet processing (where slow cooking to extract sugar from the beets releases organic materials and odors), and water storage ponds (where organic material in process and wastewaters can cause odors). Because the water used for beet processing contains dirt from the beets and other organic material, it must be stored in ponds before further treatment, and these organic materials can generate odors. Often, odors are released when we proactively clean the water storage ponds to remove excess dirt and organic material. Michigan Sugar Company is actively studying additional and alternative options for removing dirt and organic material to minimize odors. Why do the odors occur at different times? How does weather affect beet storage? Can odors be completely eliminated? What has Michigan Sugar Company done to control odors? What additional steps is Michigan Sugar Company currently taking to control odors? Want to ask a question? Contact Director of Communications and Community Relations Rob Clark at 989-686-0161. 122 Uptown Drive | Suite 300 | Bay City, Michigan 48708 | PHONE: 989-686-0161 | FAX: 989-671-3719 Search for: LoginContactLocationsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy © Copyright 2021 | Michigan Sugar Company | All Rights Reserved | Crafted by OHNO Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn