Monday evening, executives from SDRK Group, LLC, operating the Shango cannabis cultivation facility on Saginaw Street at the former Lapeer Grain site, presented their ongoing efforts to address persistent odor issues to the Lapeer City Commission. The problem has plagued the area for about a year, prompting community concern and regulatory scrutiny.
Andy Shango, a representative of the facility, attended the meeting along with Operations Director Rick Thornton and consultant Joe Israel. Shango emphasized the importance of resolving the odor issue not only for their building but also to prevent blame from falling on other nearby facilities.
Thornton detailed their two-part strategy to mitigate the cannabis odor. The primary solution involves implementing negative pressure in the cultivation, drying, and storage areas. "Negative pressure should eliminate the odor," Thornton explained, estimating that this system could be operational within 90 days, pending the delivery of necessary equipment. If this measure proves insufficient, a secondary, more costly option involves negatively charging the air, using advanced air scrubbers and ozone gas. This process could take up to 120 days to complete.
Ozone technology is a clean method for purifying air in cannabis facilities. Industrial ozone generators produce ozone gas by passing oxygen through a high-voltage electrical discharge, which splits oxygen molecules into individual atoms. These atoms then combine with other oxygen molecules to form ozone gas, which reacts with the cannabis odors and reverts to oxygen, leaving no harmful residues.
"One way or another, we will resolve this," Shango assured, advocating for the City to establish a comprehensive odor ordinance applicable to all facilities.
In April, the City of Lapeer issued a citation to SDRK for the persistent odor. The Michigan cannabis regulators have indicated that SDRK's grow license renewal may be contingent on resolving this issue.
On July 10th, SDRK's legal counsel, Michael J. Gildner, sent a letter to Lapeer City Manager Mike Womack outlining their ongoing efforts to mitigate the odor complaints. "My client disputes the City's assertion that it is the sole source of odor complaints and believes it has been unfairly targeted. Nonetheless, SDRK is committed to making operational changes to be a better neighbor," Gildner wrote.
Womack responded with skepticism about the timeline. "I've heard various estimates, from 90 days to 120 days. What matters is eliminating the odor," he said.
According to SDRK documents provided to city officials, the facility began cannabis cultivation in June 2023, gradually increasing to a maximum of 4,000 plants housed in renovated pole barns. The first odor complaint from a city building inspector was recorded in September 2023.
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