Bastrop, we hear you.

We have received reports from members of our community that they have experienced odors near our facility. Community concerns are important to us, especially when they relate to quality of life. We are committed to being a good neighbor and responding to concerns responsibly.

Bastrop

What we do

Supporting agriculture and food production

Located off Highway 95 between Bastrop and Elgin, our Bastrop, Texas, facility employs about 100 people and plays a vital role in the food and agriculture supply chain.

We help reduce waste and support local industry by repurposing chicken by-products from nearby poultry production facilities. We transform these by-products into specialty feed ingredients used by our customers to produce feed for livestock and pets. Here, we also process used cooking oil from hundreds of local restaurants. Both the used cooking oil and the fat from chicken by-products are used as low-carbon feedstocks for renewable fuel production. Darling Ingredients, through a 50-50 joint venture, is one of the largest renewable fuel and sustainable aviation fuel producers in the world.

Projects

Focused on progress: 2026 upgrades

We have several important projects underway at our Bastrop facility and are investing in a variety of systems and modifications to upgrade the site and optimize reliability. We plan to invest about $15 million in 2026 in our wastewater and air management systems, which are designed to improve the consistency and performance of these functions within our operations. These steps support our commitment to being a good neighbor.

Expert-led odor control improvements

We have engaged independent engineering consultants and subject matter experts in air control technology to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to enhance the effectiveness of our odor capture and treatment processes throughout the facility. These efforts are designed to bolster the reliability and overall performance of our odor control systems, ensuring optimal vapor treatment prior to atmospheric discharge.

Estimated investment: ~$3-4 million
Project status: Initiated

Real-time data technology

We have installed new, upgraded monitoring instrumentation on our odor control equipment and are in the final stages of integrating this technology into our operator control screens and establishing an automatic alert system. This upgrade provides our team with a live, real-time view of the system's performance, allowing them to detect and resolve any operational issues as soon as we become aware of them. These enhancements will help ensure our odor control systems are operating at peak effectiveness.

Estimated investment: ~$470,000
Project status: Near completion

Collaborative odor control program enhancements

We've partnered with a specialized technical expert and chemistry provider to further improve our odor control equipment's chemical treatment program. This collaboration includes regular on-site inspections and continuous remote monitoring, helping to ensure our systems operate effectively and any necessary adjustments to our odor control equipment are made promptly.

Estimated investment: ~$300,000
Project status: Initiated

Wastewater treatment system upgrade

We are installing an advanced wastewater treatment system designed by independent engineering experts to improve treatment effectiveness, reduce potential upset conditions, and contribute toward managing wastewater-related odors. This complex upgrade involves multiple integrated components and will be carefully installed in phases over an extended period.

Estimated investment: ~$14-16 million
Project status: Initiated

Investing in advanced air protection technology

We've invested significantly in enhancing our current scrubbers and regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO), as well as installing new scrubber and condensing equipment as part of our plant’s odor control systems. These scrubbers ensure that air from our processing buildings is captured and treated prior to discharge. The condensers play a vital role by capturing and cooling air directly from our processing equipment, and with the addition of an automatic clean-in-place (CIP) system, their internal components are kept consistently efficient for optimal vapor cooling before reaching the scrubbers for treatment. Finally, the RTO serves as our crucial last step, combusting treated vapors at high temperatures before they are safely discharged. Recent enhancements to the RTO, including new wiring, control dampers and ceramic media, further boost its reliability, reinforcing our commitment to responsible operations and maintaining high air quality standards for our community.

Investment: ~$1.8 million
Project Status: Completed

Compliance

Committed to compliance and community

Darling Ingredients works with care and diligence to meet all applicable environmental regulations. We maintain close cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and other agencies to ensure full compliance.

We recognize the need for better communication with our local community. We’re committed to enhancing our engagement and building stronger relationships. This will include more active engagement with you, listening closely to your concerns, being responsive, and seeking to work with you to address those concerns.

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