Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Darling Ingredients for “unlawfully emitting odors and other chemicals” at its Bastrop facility.
Located between Bastrop County Animal Services and Camp Swift, the facility collects and recycles food industry waste to produce animal feed ingredients, biofuels and other byproducts, according to Darling Ingredients.
Paxton announced the lawsuit in a news release Feb. 9.
What we know
Paxton emphasized his desire for Darling Ingredients to be held accountable through “significant” civil penalties and court-ordered relief for violations of Texas’ air quality laws, and urged Darling Ingredients to take a variety of actions, including:
Stop spreading odors.Comply with all permit and regulatory requirements.Install real-time hydrogen sulfide monitoring.Implement corrective actions that are overseen by independent experts.“Texans should not be forced to endure offensive and harmful odors in their own communities, especially when a company is failing to comply with the standards required by law,” he said in the news release. “Darling must not sacrifice the quality of life of Texas citizens for its production goals. My office will ensure that violations of Texas law are brought to an end and that the safety and livelihood of surrounding neighborhoods are protected.”
The Office of the Attorney General reported that odors have been described as smelling like:
Dog foodCooked greaseBurning feathersBoiling bloodDeathSome background
Darling Ingredients withdrew an application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to modify its air permit Oct. 21, which TCEQ said would have allowed for increased emissions.
“We [withdrew the] request after our engineering team identified a way to improve the process that fits within the current permit,” Jillian Fleming, director of global communications for Darling Ingredients, told Community Impact at the time.
What officials are saying
Bastrop County, city of Bastrop and Darling Ingredients officials provided Community Impact with statements in the hours following the announcement of the lawsuit.
“Darling Ingredients has received the petition filed by the Texas Attorney General’s office and will respond through the appropriate legal channels,” Darling Ingredients officials said. “We are committed to being a good neighbor and protecting the health and safety of our employees and the communities where we operate.”
Although Bastrop County is aware of the lawsuit involving the Darling Ingredients facility, the county is not a party to the litigation.
“[Bastrop County] will continue to refer the matter to the appropriate regulatory agencies while remaining active to community concerns,” Bastrop Judge Gregory Klaus said.
Like Klaus, Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris—who has had several conversations with Darling Ingredients for corrective action—stressed the importance of responding to community concerns and told Community Impact he respects Paxton’s role in enforcing environmental laws and holding companies accountable.
“The company has committed significant resources toward facility improvements and operational changes to address odor issues and compliance,” Harris said. “The city of Bastrop will continue to advocate for residents, monitor progress closely, and work with regulators to ensure these commitments result in real, lasting improvements for our community.”
What else?
In 2025, there were seven investigations into the Darling Ingredients facility in Bastrop related to odor, wastewater and stormwater conditions—four of which resulted in documented violations.
No investigations or violations were recorded for 2026, according to TCEQ data.
Also of note
In late 2026, Darling Ingredients launched a dedicated phone number, 512-772-4527, where residents can report their concerns.
“We encourage the local community to visit darlingii.com/bastrop to learn more about our operations and ongoing efforts to address community concerns in the region,” Darling Ingredients, which employs about 100 people in Bastrop County, said in the statement.
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