'Like a Jet Engine': Neighbors Complain About Noise From Trash Plant
By Alysha Palumbo
Published Jun 28, 2019 at 7:43 PM
Saugus Residents Complain About Noisy Factory
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People in Saugus are sick of the noise coming from a factory.
(Published Friday, June 28, 2019)
To hear the Wheelabrator plant in Saugus, Massachusetts, on video doesn't quite do it justice.
"It sounds like a train or a jet engine starting," said Joan Beaton, who has lived nearby for 20 years.
"It sounds like a whistling noise coming from like a jet engine," added Armen Missakiane, who works nearby.
Neighbors of the trash burning plant say it has gotten so loud in the past few weeks, it has led to some sleepless nights for people who live in the plant's shadow.
"The last few weeks, it has been terrible," said Tony Capachietti, who has lived nearby for 40 years. "You can't even sleep."
"I don't mind during the daytime, but at night time I like my sleep," added Beaton.
Wheelabrator says it was making "unavoidable repairs" to a steam turbine, and during that process it had to safely vent the steam that would normally power the turbine into the air.
After several complaints, MassDEP got involved and the plant was shut down until it could install an enhanced silencer.
"You've got to burn the trash somewhere but sometimes you wish that they'd be a little more considerate," said Greg Natalucci, who has lived nearby for 40 years.
"We apologize to our neighbors who were impacted by the venting and were understandably feeling frustration at the noise levels, which our entire team has been working to mitigate," Wheelabrator said in a statement.
Neighbors are now hopeful this silencer will give them some much needed peace and quiet.
"Hopefully. Hopefully. I don't know for sure, but we can hope at least they're trying something," said Judy Capachietti, who has lived nearby for 40 years.
Wheelabrator says it is still accepting waste from contract communities while the facility is offline.
But it's hopeful it will be able to have the enhanced silencer installed this weekend.