Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says he has secured a court order temporarily halting odor-causing operations at the Pullman Innovations plant on the Southeast Side of Chicago.
A Cook County Circuit Court judge granted a request from Raoul and the city of Chicago for a temporary restraining order stopping the operations until Jan. 14, 2027, when the next hearing is scheduled, or until the facility addresses the excessive odors and comes into compliance with environmental law before that date, according to the attorney general's office.
The plant, operated by A-F Acquisition LLC under the name Pullman Innovations, converts a by-product of commercial edible oil into animal feed ingredients. Raoul's office said the facility is located in an area of environmental justice concern.
In August, Raoul, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city filed a lawsuit against the company. The suit alleges the company allowed excessive odors, caused illegal air pollution, constructed a boiler without a permit that could cause or contribute to air pollution, and violated certain conditions of its operating permit, the office said.
"Members of the community around the Pullman Innovations facility have carried too heavy a burden of environmental harm for too long, and I am pleased that they will finally have some relief from the foul odors that were interrupting their lives and harming their ability to enjoy their homes and neighborhood activities," Raoul said in a statement. "This plant should not operate until it addresses the odors and air pollution and comes into compliance with Illinois' environmental laws."
What the community reported
Raoul's office said numerous residents living near the plant reported being forced to keep their windows closed because of the nauseating odors, being unable to enjoy outdoor activities and being chased inside, often interrupting family events. The office said the odors also affect nearby schools and a local church, where parishioners reported that weddings, funerals and outdoor festivals were often ruined.
The office said the community supported the case by tracking and logging odors, providing affidavits and keeping the attorney general's office and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency informed.
The city of Chicago has conducted numerous inspections in response to complaints, and city inspectors encountered odors that made breathing difficult and caused nausea, the office said. The IEPA inspected the site in February 2025, with inspectors observing strong odors inside and outside the buildings that at times made breathing difficult. In August 2026, an IEPA inspector again observed overpowering odors in residential areas around the facility, the office said. The lawsuit is based on a referral from the IEPA.
Next hearing
A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14 on a motion from Raoul and the city for a preliminary injunction requiring the company to address the odors and its violations. The office said the motion includes a timeline for Pullman to submit a remediation plan to the IEPA for approval and, once approved, to carry it out. It would also seek an order requiring the company to install and begin operating a pollution control device called a regenerative thermal oxidizer within 120 days, among other actions.
The office said Raoul's Environmental Enforcement Division has recovered millions of dollars from polluters and required companies to undertake environmental improvement projects. Residents can report environmental justice and other environmental concerns to the office by emailing ej@ilag.gov.