A lawsuit originally filed by a handful of Orangetown residents against a plastic bag manufacturer could now grow to include thousands more people after a recent legal development.

The lawsuit was filed nearly seven years ago by three families. The residents allege emissions from the Aluf Plastics facility on Glenshaw Street have negatively affected how they use their properties and property values.

Elizabeth Dudley lives nearby and is one of the people part of the original suit.

She says the odors have been a persistent issue for years and describes them as two different smells, including one as "sweet burning plastic."

Dudley said she smelled it three times last week.

Earlier this month, the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled that the case can proceed as a class action. News 12 is told that decision means residents living within a 1 1/2-mile radius of the facility will automatically be included in the lawsuit unless they choose to opt out.

Dudley says the ruling brought a sense of relief.

“I was so happy that we finally were taken seriously,” she said. “It’s affected our lives — everyone in this community. It affects all the schools.”

Attorneys representing the families estimate the class action could include more than 3,000 households.

Laura Sheets, an attorney with Liddle Sheets P.C., applauds her clients efforts.

“We have a wonderful group of people in this community who have been fighting vigorously against this issue for years and are looking to get some relief not just for themselves, but for their community,” Sheets said.

News 12 reached out to ALUF Plastics for comment but has not yet received a response. According to Sheets, the company’s attorneys plan to appeal the decision to New York’s Court of Appeals, a move that could further extend the legal process.

News 12 has followed the dispute between the plastic bag manufacturer and nearby residents for more than a decade, and as you can read here, the case continues to unfold.

A state Supreme Court judge may decide next month whether the lawsuit will be paused while an appeal by Aluf is pending.