On Tuesday, at a Bethlehem City Council meeting, residents raised concerns about odors from a Spray-Tek factory in west Bethlehem and trash along the Sand Island Trailhead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Council later approved seven budget amendments, including additional funding for snow removal, sewer utilities and a grant for the fire department. It also approved reductions in allocations for water works and liquid fuels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Council members also approved a permit for Plantfest, hosted by Wicket Botanist, and a resolution calling for an accessibility audit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spray-Tek\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spray-Tek is a manufacturer specializing in spray drying, microencapsulation and ingredient processing for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and personal care industries, according to the company\u2019s website.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Its factory in west Bethlehem is under scrutiny from residents who say it releases strong odors into the air. The smell comes from a spray-drying process that converts liquids into powders, according to ScienceDirect.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n West Bethlehem resident George Andrews said the odor makes it difficult to breathe for extended periods of time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s there for the whole day, even if they let it out at 4:30 (p.m.), in the morning you can\u2019t use your patio to have a cup of coffee,\u201d Andrews said. \u201cYou can\u2019t take the dog for a walk.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Andrews, along with Isabelle, another Bethlehem resident, said the issue has persisted for four years. They said they and their neighbors have contacted the company and the Environmental Protection Agency, but no action has been taken.<\/p>\n Isabelle said the Bethlehem facility has previously been cited for illegal emissions and permit violations. She said the last time she spoke about the issue her daughter was 6 months old and is now 4.<\/p>\n According to Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Agency records<\/a>, the most recent violation at the Bethlehem facility occurred in 2022. The company has also been cited for air pollution at facilities in Middlesex, New Jersey,<\/a> in 2025 and Beloit, Wisconsin<\/a>, in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n Laura Collins, director of community and economic development, said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for addressing the issue and that the city has limited authority.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said the Spray-Tek facility operates under a permit issued\u00a0 in 2014 that prohibits the release of \u201cmalodorous air contaminants.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we could do is have our team reach out to (Department of Environmental Protection), in the same way the residents do, but have it come from the city and we can check in on the status of these permits,\u201d Collins said. \u201cAre the permits active? Have they (the Department of Environmental Protection) been out, have they monitored (the air quality)? What are the remedies that they are pursuing under that authority?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Collins said the facility could still be in compliance with air quality regulations if emissions remain below certain thresholds.\u00a0<\/p>\n She provided residents with contact information for Pennsylvania state senators, who may have more influence over the Department of Environmental Protection, but said she and council members will continue outreach efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to grow (Bethlehem), but we don\u2019t want to grow a smelly city,\u201d Isabelle said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sand Island Trash<\/p>\n Bethlehem resident Brandon Horlick said during public comment that while hiking the Sand Island Trail with his daughter, they were \u201cdisturbed\u201d by the amount of trash in the creek, canal and the Lehigh River.\u00a0<\/p>\n Micheal Alkhal, director of public works, said the city hired a contractor two years ago to clean up the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, it doesn\u2019t take long for garbage to return,\u201d Alkhal said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alkhal said the issue is regularly discussed in Department of Public Work\u2019s meetings. The city has installed trash cans along the trail and works with volunteer groups, but he said it remains \u201calmost impossible\u201d to keep the area clean.\u00a0<\/p>\n Collins said the city previously placed a dumpster near Norfolk Southern Railroad property, where an encampment of unhoused people had been located, to help with waste collection.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Dec. 15, the encampment was removed by Bethlehem police at the request of the railroad company.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result of Norfolk Southern moving folks, there\u2019s an evaluation process of trying to understand where people are and what services and needs people are having in these locations,\u201d Collins said. \u201cCommunity connections are going down, but we\u2019re just starting to understand these additional needs, including trash in different areas.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Horlick said he wants to ensure the environment is protected and that measures are in place, so litter doesn\u2019t define the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c(The conversation) should really be about how beautiful it is down there (on Sand Island), how lucky we are to have this resource right here in our backyard,\u201d Horlick said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other topics discussed<\/p>\n City Council member Micheal Col\u00f3n asked Alkhal whether rising gas prices could require adjustments to the city budget.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s too early to tell,\u201d Alkhal said. \u201cAfter a couple months, we might be going to council for some transfers for gas, fire and EMS vehicles.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He also said the city purchases gas in bulk for 50 cents per gallon, so unless higher prices persist for several months, it\u2019s unlikely the $2 million gas budget will need to increase.<\/p>\n City council member Brian Callahan raised concerns about food trucks operating on Lehigh\u2019s campus. He said local restaurants have complained that the trucks are drawing business away from establishments on Fourth Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n Collins said the Department of Community and Economic Development issues permits for food trucks at festivals, such as Musikfest, or for operation on private property. She said there\u2019s no ordinance allowing for food trucks elsewhere in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been railing against (Lehigh) for a while about the amount of services that they use from the city without paying taxes,\u201d Callahan said. \u201cNow they\u2019re taking away business from established businesses and restaurants on the South Side.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n During the \u201cother business\u201d portion of the meeting, council member Colleen Laird said she hopes to improve accessibility by increasing microphone sensitivity at future meetings. Council President Rachel Leon also addressed insensitive comments made during public comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to reiterate that just because something is allowed under constitutional rights doesn\u2019t mean that I, as a council president, agree with what is being said,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen we\u2019re getting right against the line, make sure that we are addressing it when it gets crossed.\u201d<\/p>\n