Lakewood residents report strong chemical smell, air quality team investigates

Residents in Lakewood and parts of Cleveland have been reporting a strong chemical odor for the past week. The smell, described by some as pungent and leathery, has prompted formal complaints to local authorities. Investigators from the Cleveland Division of Air Quality are currently trying to identify the source of the scent.

The issue began to draw attention on Oct. 22, when formal complaints started to come in. By today, Roman Fedorko, Chief of Air Pollution Enforcement for the Cleveland Division of Air Quality, says more than two dozen reports have been filed. The odor has been most frequently reported in the Birdtown neighborhood of Lakewood, though complaints have also come from other areas of the city and the West Park neighborhood in Cleveland.

Sheari Connor, a Lakewood resident, says she first noticed the smell on the morning of Oct. 21. She was dropping her children off at school when her son complained that the air was hurting his lungs. Connor describes the odor as a combination of melting leather and chemicals. Although she has noticed faint smells in the past, she says the scent on Oct. 21 was much stronger. Her child has asthma, which heightens her concern about potential toxins in the air.

Connor filed a report with the county last week but had not received a response as of this week. She took to social media to warn neighbors and seek help from officials. Lakewood Councilman Matt Bixenstine received several calls and messages from residents starting last Thursday evening. He notes that the reports have continued in a steady stream since then, with most complaints originating from the east end of Lakewood.

Bixenstine has been in contact with the Division of Air Quality to follow up on the reports. He says the department encourages residents to call a 24/7 hotline whenever they detect the odor, even if it happens during evening or overnight hours. Real-time data from these calls helps enforcement officers pinpoint the source of the smell.

Investigators visited the affected areas on Monday and Tuesday. Fedorko says the cause of the odor remains a mystery to his team. The department is now moving to the next phase of its investigation. Staff will follow up with residents who have already filed formal complaints.

As part of this follow-up, three to four canisters will be distributed to selected residents. These canisters are designed to collect air samples that the division can then test. The goal is to gather data that will help identify the specific chemical responsible for the stench.

Residents who want to report the smell or file a complaint can call the Air Quality Enforcement hotline at (216) 664-7442. The department continues to review the data collected from the initial complaints and the recent site visits.

The investigation is ongoing, with the air sample collection serving as the immediate next step. Fedorko’s team will analyze the results from the canisters to determine if a specific pollutant is present in the neighborhood air.