The Creosote Odor Forecast estimates when chemical odors from wood treatment plants in Alexandria and Pineville, Louisiana may affect surrounding areas. It uses free weather data from the National Weather Service API.
How it works: The forecast model considers wind speed and direction (to estimate where emissions may travel), temperature inversion conditions (which can limit vertical dispersion), time of day, and humidity (moisture can carry odor compounds).
Plants tracked:
Facility 1 — Alexandria (3600 Koppers Road) — LDEQ Permit #2360-00032-07. Treats railroad ties with creosote using 4 high-pressure cylinders at 140°F. Emits 18.67 tons/year of VOCs, dominated by 9.26 tons/year of naphthalene (7.41 tons from ground-level fugitive emissions alone). Also emits cresol (0.14 t/yr), quinoline (0.36 t/yr), PAHs (0.26 t/yr), and phenol (0.09 t/yr). Operates 24/7/365 with ~7-8 cylinder unloading events per day. Fugitive emissions are strongly temperature-dependent due to naphthalene's vapor pressure (roughly doubles every 15°F).
Facility 2 — Pineville (74 Wadley Street) — LDEQ Permit #2360-00004-07. Treats utility poles with creosote, pentachlorophenol (Penta), DCOI, and CCA using 3 treatment cylinders and 2 dry kilns. Emits 78.68 tons/year of VOCs — 4× more than Alexandria. The kilns dominate (61.68 t/yr), releasing acetaldehyde (2.10 t/yr), formaldehyde (0.86 t/yr), and methanol (0.82 t/yr) from elevated stacks. Ground-level emissions include cresol (1.62 t/yr — 11× more than Alexandria), naphthalene (0.84 t/yr), and diesel vapors from the Penta/DCOI carrier solvent. Diesel is blended onsite with preservative concentrates before treatment. The facility stores over 103,000 gallons of creosote and 62,000 gallons of diesel in tank farms that “breathe” vapors during afternoon warming. Operates 24/7/365. Sits on the Pineville bluff at 103 ft elevation — during calm conditions, heavy compounds (diesel, cresol) drain off the bluff into the valley below.
Temperature Inversions: Normally, air temperature decreases with altitude, allowing pollutants to rise and disperse. During a temperature inversion, a warm air layer sits above cooler surface air, trapping pollutants near the ground. This is detected through proxy signals: dewpoint-temperature convergence, overnight temperature trends, wind speed, and NWS forecast discussion analysis.
Terrain: The model incorporates local elevation data from USGS. The Alexandria facility sits at 72 ft in the Red River valley floor — one of the lowest points in the area where cold air and emissions pool. The Pineville plant sits 30 feet higher on the Pineville bluff at 103 ft. During calm winds and inversions, emissions from the elevated Pineville plant drain downhill into the valley, while the Alexandria plant's emissions pool in place. The Red River valley also channels north-south airflow, concentrating odors along the valley axis.
Disclaimer: This is an experimental tool based on publicly available weather data and general atmospheric modeling principles. It does not measure actual air quality or emissions. Actual conditions may differ from estimates. All facility data is sourced from public LDEQ permit records. This tool is not affiliated with any government agency or the wood treatment facilities.