The Sriracha hot sauce plant in Irwindale, Calif. will be partially shut down, a Los Angeles County Superior Judge ruled on Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Times reported Judge Robert H. O'Brien ruled in favor of the city after residents complained of the spicy smells from sauce maker Huy Fong Foods. O'Brien ordered the company to cease any kind of operations that "could be causing the odors and make immediate changes that would help mitigate them."
Irwindale filed a lawsuit against Huy Fong Foods on Oct. 21 after nearby residents complained of inflamed asthma, heartburn and nosebleeds due to the odor coming from the hot sauce plant.
O'Brien's injunction does not stop the company from operating or using the property entirely and it does not specify what types of actions are required, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In his ruling, the judge acknowledged a "lack of credible evidence" linking area residents' health complaints such as breathing trouble and watering eyes to the factory. He said the odor could be "reasonably inferred to be emanating from the facility" appears to be "extremely annoying, irritating and offensive to the senses warranting consideration as a public nuisance."
Residents of Irwindale commended the judge's decision.
"We believe it's a strong ruling that acknowledges and is reflective of the concerns that the community has raised about the health impacts of the odor," City Attorney Fred Galante told the Los Angeles Times.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the case could still go to trial, but Galante said the city would like to see a settlement outside court, and does not want to shut down Sriracha altogether.
"We're going to try to keep having a conversation with Huy Fong," Galante said.
He added that he hopes to find a collaborative way to "make sure the odor problems are addressed."
