Detroit neighbors push back on east side oil facility reopening proposal

July 8, 2026

A Canadian waste oil reclamation company, Aevitas Specialty Services Corp. , seeks to rebuild and expand its Detroit facility following a June 2025 fire, but faces strong opposition from residents who report dramatically improved air quality since the plant's closure. The facility has accumulated 64 air quality complaints and multiple violation notices since 2012, with neighbors describing persistent odors of burning oil and chemicals that forced them indoors and raised health concerns including childhood asthma diagnoses.

Who is affected

Residents of Detroit's Conner Creek neighborhood and eastside communities
Eden Bloom and his three children (two diagnosed with asthma), living 1.5 miles from the facility
Latonya Foster, a Detroit resident who experienced sleep disruption from odors
Valencia Stoudamire, whose mother received hospice care and couldn't open windows due to odors
John Maya and customers of Parkway Foods grocery store (0.3 miles from Aevitas)
District 4 Council Member Latisha Johnson, living two miles from the facility
Aevitas Specialty Services Corp. and CEO Robert Slater
Communities within half a mile of the facility at 663 Lycaste Street

What action is being taken

Detroit City Council is conducting an ongoing investigation into Aevitas following a unanimously approved resolution to examine legal options for rescinding permits
The Solid Waste Review Committee is providing a recommendation to BSEED's director following the June 17 hearing
Eden Bloom is tracking and sharing odor complaint findings on a website called East Side Environmental
Slater is working with drivers about avoiding neighborhood streets using GPS monitoring systems
EGLE engineers are reviewing the Permit to Install application submitted in April 2026

Why it matters

This case highlights the tension between industrial operations and residential environmental justice in Detroit, particularly affecting communities that have endured years of air quality complaints without adequate response from officials. The facility's 64 air complaints and multiple violations since 2012 demonstrate a pattern of environmental impact on a predominantly residential area, with residents reporting health consequences including asthma diagnoses in children and quality-of-life restrictions. The revelation that Aevitas operated illegally for decades under an incorrect warehouse designation rather than as an oil recycling facility exposes systemic failures in municipal oversight and permitting enforcement. The dramatic 90% reduction in odor complaints following the plant's closure provides evidence that the facility was indeed the source of community concerns, making the expansion decision particularly consequential for residents' health and wellbeing.

What's next

Aevitas intends to begin construction on July 20, 2026, pending approvals
BSEED's director will make a decision on land-use approval two to three weeks from the June 17 hearing date
EGLE must approve the company's air use Permit to Install, with a public hearing that remains unscheduled
Aevitas must obtain special land-use approval from Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department
The Board of Zoning Appeals must rule on variances Aevitas is seeking for existing building features
Aevitas is required to submit a change of use or classification permit to reflect the property's actual use as an oil recycling facility rather than a warehouse

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com