Plan to bring curtain down on bad odours

A firm which turns food waste from Lancashire into compost is to create an "odour curtain" around its facility to beat bad smells.

The TEG Group, which has its head office at Buckshaw Village, near Chorley, is looking to fit nozzles around its facility in Sherdley Farm in Hutton, near Preston which will spray high-powered air freshener.

It already has the nozzles fitted on do

ors at the site but is looking to fit them in the "slats" around the Dutch barn-style building to stop smells which are still escaping.

People living close to the site have said there are still "regular problems" with smells coming from it, but the company insists it is working with residents to tackle any problems.

A TEG spokesman said: "The site is a former agricultural building and has open slats around it which we cannot seal up due to planning restrictions.

"We have had these odour sprays at the entrance and exits of the building for many years and now we are looking at increasing these to the rest of the building.

"We are very keen to be good neighbours and are trying to be innovative about the problem as we look to bring odours down to a minimum."

She added that the company had met with people living on Ratten Lane in recent weeks to discuss any issues they had with the facility.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency confirmed its officials had met with TEG to talk about how it could create the "odour curtain" around its facility.

But, she confirmed that no enforcement orders had been served on the company in relation to the smells.

Bill Whittle, the clerk of Hutton Parish Council, said it regularly received complaints about odours coming from the former cattle barns.

He said: "We do support residents' concerns but we are not the authority responsible for it, so always advise people to speak with the Environment Agency."

People living on Ratten Lane waged a long-running battle in a bid to stop TEG converting the former farm buildings in 1997 and then campaigned against plans to widen the range of waste it composts.

By David Coates

Sewer rehab to address odor problem

By Jennifer Harris

Relief from the "rotten egg" smell that permeates the Ridgeway Street area of Warrenton and into surrounding neighborhoods is on the way.

Warren County Public Utilities Director Macon Robertson said that construction on sewer system improvements should begin around the first of September, with completion expected in four to six months.

Earlier this month, the county commissioners awarded the $247,257 construction contract to H.G. Reynolds.

The project is funded by the N.C. Rural Center, whose board is meeting on Aug. 26 to vote on obligating money for the improvements.

Roberson explained that the offensive smell is caused by turbulence in the current sewer line churning the hydrogen sulfide gas that creates the "rotten egg" odor. The upgrade to the pump system at Soul City would create a high velocity of flow in sewer mains that would prevent the formation of the gas and make for a smooth transition to the wastewater treatment plant in Warrenton.

In addition to the planned construction, the smell has been addressed through the use of various chemical additives.

"We've been battling it endlessly to try to resolve it. We've tried various chemical applications to try to mask it," Robertson said.

He and his staff recently performed a pilot study on chemical use to eliminate hydrogen sulfide formers, but Robertson said that determining the amount of chemicals used versus the levels of hydrogen sulfide is a "magical balance."

In theory, the improvements could move the odor somewhere else, Robertson said, and the odor may not be gone forever due to mechanical failures or excessive flow for whatever reason.

Queens locals trash waste plan, say congestion and odor will damage Maspeth Ave

At least 65 tractor-trailers loaded with garbage could rumble intoMaspethevery day under a new waste removal plan proposed to start in 2011.

But as far as area residents are concerned, the plan stinks.

Waste Management Inc.is seeking a permit to convert its existing truck-based transfer station on Review Ave. inLong Island Cityto a rail-based system. Under the plan, trucks would haul trash 1-1/2-miles from Review Ave. to a railyard at Rust St. and Maspeth Ave.

That would eliminate 52 round-trips a day of tractor-trailers moving through Queens, saidGeorge McGrath, spokesman for Waste Management ofNew York.

The move is in line with the state Department of Environmental Conservation's goals to reduce environmental impact from truck and vehicle emissions.

But locals said it would hurt those living near the railyard.

"We're all for the overall decrease in the number of trucks," saidChristina Wilkinson, a local activist who organized a rally last Saturday on Rust St. to oppose the plan. "But this will be concentrating truck traffic along certain roads in our community, and this is unfair."

Maspeth residents and small-business owners are already overburdened with air pollution and congestion from truck traffic along Maspeth Ave., protesters said.

"There will surely be more truck trips than Waste Management is reporting," saidCorey Bearak, president of the QueensCivic Congress, an umbrella group for civic associations.

Area merchants also fear the garbage trips will drive away customers.

"I'm not sure how they're going to contain the odor," said Nick Diamantis, owner of theClinton Dineron Maspeth Ave. "And I don't know what people would feel about eating next to a place with all this waste."

Community activists proposed alternatives such as building additional rail spurs at the current Review Ave. facility to eliminate the need to truck waste to the Maspeth railyard. The garbage could also be barged out along Newtown Creek, adjacent to the facility, activists said.

Community Board 5 urged Waste Management last week to implement these alternatives. It also sent the recommendations to the DEC and the city Sanitation Department.

"It's a perfect example of how a community has come up with an amendment to a bad plan," saidCity Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who attended the rally. "And I will support them in whatever way they need me to."

Read more:http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2009/07/22/2009-07-22_queens_locals_trash_waste_plan_.html#ixzz0M8PsfdSC

Hotline Receives 20 Calls In 30 Days

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The city of Des Moines set up an odor hotline years ago to deal with unpleasant odors over the city, but it is working?

Some residents and even out-of-towners are questioning what can be done.

KCCI's Cynthia Fodor talked with tourists from Utah taking in the sights of downtown Des Moines on Thursday who said something stinks in Des Moines. Residents also had complaints about a smell Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

Des Moines resident Carolyn Mata has lived on the east side of town for 36 years.

"Sometimes, it's horribly strong," said Mata. "It's gotten worse, gotten worse again."

She said years ago, after neighbors protested the smell from the National By Products plant on SE 18th Street, the city enacted an odor ordinance and set up a hotline to catalog complaints.

"Generally speaking we don't respond unless the hotline gets 10 calls in a 24 hours period," said Ben Bishop, of the city of Des Moines's Neighborhood Inspection Division.

Bishop said the hotline received 20 calls in 30 days, a service the city pays for 24/7 whether it's used or not.

"Is there a possibility the hotline is a waste of money, yes. I've been wondering for years if this is money well spent or not," said Bishop.

Complaints might be few because some callers can't get through on the hotline. KCCI's Cynthia Fodor called 15 times on Thursday morning and was put on hold and hung up on each time.

"If they're not answering the phone, we'll investigate that," said Bishop.

When an operator did answer, Fodor was asked a series of questions about what was being smelled.

"Can you describe the smell? Is it chemical, raw meat or dead animal?" asked the odor hotline operator.

Residents that KCCI talked to said the city needs a better system to not only monitor, but eliminate the bad smells.

Some told us they were frustrated that their "voice falls on deaf ears, nobody listens."

City officials said the National By Products plant is owned by Darling International, which installed air scrubbers that do an adequate job of removing smells leaving the plant, unless there is a spill.

KCCI called the company to get comment on this story, but our calls were not returned.

The odor hotline is 515-244-0336.

Columbia Analytical Develops Protocol for Testing Corrosion and Odor in Chinese Drywall

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Rogue odour theory could be right

A controversial theory that explains the molecular mechanism which gives our sense of smell razor-sharp precision has been given a boost thanks to a study by a team of UCL researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN).

Reporting in an upcoming edition of the journal Physical Review Letters, they demonstrate that vibration theory, the process by which the body distinguishes one odour molecule from another by the way it vibrates, is viable.

Like many other biological processes, it was previously thought that on a molecular level our sense of smell was governed by shape recognition: the way a particular molecule binds to a complementary receptor – acting in a mechanism similar to a lock and key.

But this theory struggles to explain why very different shaped molecules can smell similar or why some molecules of essentially the same shape but made of heavier versions of the atoms have a very different smell.

Dr Andrew Horsfield, of the London Centre for Nanotechnology, the UCL Department of Physics & Astronomy and one of the senior authors of the study, says: “Vibration theory has been around for a while but has lacked the answer to a crucial question: how could a biological system make the kind of measurements of vibrations which normally require a piece of lab kit like a spectroscope. This mechanism is more like swipe-card identification than a key fitting a lock.

“Back in 1996, a UCL researcher, Dr Luca Turin* revived the theory by suggesting that smell receptors acted like switches tuned to different frequencies across the vibration spectrum. When an odorant molecule with the correct vibration binds to the receptor it closes the switch and allows the electrons to flow. This signal is amplified and sent to the brain. Each molecule has a distinctive vibration pattern and therefore a unique smell. However, Turin’s proposal lacked mathematical rigour and the physical mechanism to back it up.”

In the latest UCL paper, the researchers propose a viable physical mechanism that fits with both the laws of physics and observed features of smell.

Professor Marshall Stoneham, of the London Centre for Nanotechnology, the UCL Department of Physics & Astronomy and one of the senior authors of the study, added: “The key to determining whether the vibration model works lies in the rate that electrons move around either in the presence or absence of an odour. Our calculations show that electron flow increases significantly in the presence of an odour, suggesting there’s mileage in vibration theory.

“Furthermore, this type of receptor activation, which essentially relies on ‘biological electronics’, was previously unknown and could explain how other systems in the body operate.”

-end-

Notes for Editors

* Dr Luca Turin is now employed by the odorant design company, Flexitral.

1. For more information, please contact:

Dr Andrew Horsfield, London Centre for Nanotechnology, Email: a.horsfield@ucl.ac.uk, Phone: +44 (0)20 7679 7701

Judith H Moore, UCL Media Relations Manager, Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 7678, Mobile: +44 (0)77333 075 96, Out-of-hours: +44 (0)7917 271 364, Email: judith.moore@ucl.ac.uk

2. ‘Could humans recognize odor by phonon assisted tunnelling’ is published in the journal Physical Review Letters in December. The authors are Professor Marshall Stoneham, Dr Andrew Horsfield and graduate students Jennifer Brookes.

Leaked letter airs mill emission concerns

The letter said emissions were of particular concern in the Tamar Valley...Gunns says the issue has been addressed. (ABC News: Simon Cullen)

• Map: Bell Bay 7253
• Related Story: Secret letters reveal pulp mill fears

A leaked document has revealed that the former head of Tasmania's independent planning body had significant concerns about possible emissions from Gunns' proposed pulp mill.

It comes just days after the timber giant announced it is moving forward with negotiations with an undisclosed partner to fund the mill.

Gunns secured a green light for its $2 billion Bell Bay pulp mill earlier this year.

The document reveals the concerns of Julian Green, the former head of the Resource Planning and Development Commission.

In July 2005, Mr Green wrote to Gunns Chief Executive John Gay, expressing concerns about odours and fugitive emissions escaping from the mill.

In the letter, he said the potential emissions from all kraft mills built to date had proven to "cause significant nuisance and diminution of quality of life for people living" near a mill.

He went on to say that issues of emissions and odours were particularly sensitive in the Tamar Valley where the air was frequently stagnant and covered by a thermal inversion layer.

Former RPDC panel member, Dr Warwick Raverty, joined Mr Green on a Swedish pulp mill tour in 2006.

Dr Raverty has told the ABC's 7.30 Report both men were confronted by the odours.

"When we got out of the mini-bus in the carpark, Julian Green very quickly became distressed," he said.

"He couldn't breathe."

"I found the odour intensely objectionable and within a matter of minutes Julian Green was gasping and saying 'for God's sake get me out of here.'

Mr Green's letter also stated Gunns had failed to indicate whether it acknowledged the potential problem existed and if it did, how it would be addressed.

In a statement, the company says the issue has been addressed and new mill technology removes the risk of such issues.

Gunns withdrew from the RPDC process in early 2007.

Government support

The Acting Premier, Lara Giddings, has been asked in parliament this morning about odours from the pulp mill.

Ms Giddings is standing by the State Government's approval and support for the project.

"This pulp mill will only go ahead if it meets all environmental approvals," she said.

"The assessment process continues.

"We absolutely support downstream processing of Tasmania's timber products in Tasmania.

"We're also very aware that there have been a lot of changes in modern technology around these issues as well."

Industry odours can be in a tag cloud

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