Judge remains undecided on whether to certify Murray Hill odor lawsuit as class

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Duval County judge heard hours of tense arguments Monday as Murray Hill residents pushed to move forward with a class-action lawsuit against International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) over years of foul chemical odors they say have polluted their neighborhood and seeped into their homes.

The hearing centered on a pivotal question: Can the thousands of people who’ve complained about the smell be treated as one unified class?

The decision will determine whether the case moves forward as one large lawsuit or splinters into individual or mass-action claims.

IFF’s legal team opened the afternoon by attacking the foundation of the plaintiffs’ case. Defense attorneys argued that the expert the plaintiffs relied on for some of their evidence used “fabricated” emission num