Local
Quonset asphalt facility faces suit after 164 odor complaints in North Kingstown
Three residents are suing Bitumar over fumes they say have disrupted daily life since the Quonset Business Park facility opened in late 2025. State regulators received 164 odor complaints and fined the company $8,500 for air-pollution violations, according to the lawsuit and town officials.
Three North Kingstown residents have sued Bitumar, alleging odors from the company’s asphalt facility in Quonset Business Park have affected their quality of life since it began operating in late 2025.
The lawsuit says the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management received 164 complaints about the facility’s odor from late March through mid-July, with 54 households reporting that they were affected.
Plaintiff Vanessa Mascaro said the smell can enter her home and linger. “I have to keep the windows closed,” she said, adding that residents cannot predict when the odor will arrive.
Town Manager Ralph Mollis said the problem goes beyond an unpleasant smell, and that officials want to ensure emissions do not pose health risks. He said the town has sent Bitumar letters and met with the company’s CEO.
According to the lawsuit, a DEM inspector visited the facility in July and found the odors objectionable enough to cause nausea. The agency determined Bitumar had violated state air-pollution regulations and issued an $8,500 fine.
Mollis said Bitumar told town officials it expected to resolve the odor issue by the end of October. If complaints continue in November, he said, the town would consider further action.
DEM said it could not comment on pending litigation. Bitumar did not respond to a request for comment.