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Odour

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The Katestone Environmental team possesses expert knowledge and experience in all aspects of odour science and impact assessment, including:

“Our experience allows us to develop a unique, solutions-focussed approach to each of our client’s needs.”

Our experience allows us to develop a unique, solutions-focussed approach to each of our client’s needs. Whether it is a comprehensive odour sampling survey and impact assessment study using dispersion modelling, negotiation of licence conditions with the environmental regulator, planning approval and environmental impact assessment for a proposed development, or advice on odour mitigation strategies, the Katestone approach can provide the solutions.

Our team has consulted to a range of publics including local and state governments, EPAs, community groups and industry. Our aim is to provide the best outcome for all stakeholders: industry, the community and the environment.

Let the Katestone approach resolve your odour issues.

Odour Measurement

The characteristics of an odour can be described in a number of ways, while its impact on a receptor is perceived in different ways.

Odours are generally measured in terms of their concentration by a method known as dynamic olfactometry, with the unit of measurement being an ‘odour unit’. This describes the odour’s strength in terms of the amount of dilution required to reduce an odour to a receptor’s threshold level.

But not all odours are created equal...
It is possible that different odours with similar concentrations can induce very different responses in people. This relates to the odour characteristics perceived by people such as intensity, hedonic tone and offensiveness.

While odour concentration in Australia is measured according to a standard, AS4323.3, there are no standards for the measurement of odour intensity, hedonic tone and offensiveness. As a result a German standard, VDI3882, is commonly used to determine the relationship between an odour’s concentration and its intensity or pleasantness.

Odour projects undertaken by Katestone Environmental include:

The importance of study design

Designing an odour impact assessment study can be a highly complex task. Sources of odour can be stacks or vents, exposed solid or liquid surfaces or fugitive releases from buildings. The strength and rate at which these sources release odours may also change over time. This variability may be due to process or environmental factors.

Designing an odour study means identifying all these odour sources, big and small, collecting emissions data representative of the source and process, determining the impact in the local environment and implementing an effective management or mitigation strategy to reduce odours to an acceptable level.

Odour impact assessment

Around the world there are several methods employed to assess the impacts of odorous activities on the local community. These range from air sampling at the source and olfactometry testing to produce odour emission rates for use in atmospheric dispersion models, ambient odour assessment surveys by trained and calibrated odour assessors (such as that described in the German standard VDI3940), and community surveys where local residents are interviewed and asked specific questions relating to odours in their area.

In Australia, EPA guidelines specify the sampling-testing-modelling approach with ambient assessments being a very useful tool for ground-truthing model projections and ground-level plume dimensions.