Destrehan residents aren’t optimistic that Bunge North America’s new ship loading system under construction on the Mississippi River will ease or stop what they say is a worsening dust problem so bad that their asphalt streets are turning white.
“The way they are treating the community they should be put in jail,” said Bryan D’Oriocourt who lives on Amelia Street near the grain elevator. “I’ve been out here 45 years and we’ve seen bad, but in the last month it’s been terrible. The grain dust they put out covered our street at least four different times. The black street turned white and you could see tire marks in the grain dust.”
As of Wednesday, Bunge could not be reached for comment.D’Oriocourt, as well as other residents there, say they’ve reported the problem to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
“All we want them to do is be a good neighbor,” he said. Instead, D’Oriocourt maintained the company operates with the philosophy “to hell with the neighborhood, we’re going to get production out.”
D’Oriocourt’s neighbor, Jimmy Garris, agreed.
Most recently, they’ve dealt with pilings being driven all night for the project.
Bunge is replacing its loading dock with construction work underway at its site at 12242 River Road in Destrehan. The upgrade is supposed to lower the dust output, but Garris said his attempts to get Bunge to stop covering them up in dust have been met with cursing and he was told to sell his house if he didn’t like the situation.
Garris said he’s tried to stay hopeful that new technology might solve the dust problem, but not with latest Bunge management being so difficult and resistant to helping the community. He said parish officials have not helped either.
“Everybody pawns it off to everyone else,” he said, adding, that he’s seen the streets turn white with dust along with the trees, vehicles and grass. Garris said they haven’t been able to hold birthday parties in the yard because of the choking dust and have to change air conditioning filters two to three times a year instead of the typical one time.
A major reason the problem won’t be solved with a new loading and unloading dock is that dust is only half of the problem, he said. It’s the company acting with little regard for the community.
Terry Morici lives St. Rose, but his snowball stand is near Bunge’s grain elevator and the problem has worsened to such a degree with dust, noise and the small of rotting grain that he may not reopen the business this year.
“I absolutely don’t think there will be any improvement,” Morici said. “I actually think it will get worse. A few years ago, they upgraded their barge uploader, it was state of the art, and it produces more dust. There is a lack of maintenance.”
Morici recounted the pile driving at night, too.
“I’m appalled at what the parish has done to this community,” he said. “You could see tire tracks in my parking from all the dust that was there. Nobody should have to live like that.”
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