Controlling odours in and around remediation sites

Odour control management is an important aspect of remediation sites, as strong and unpleasant odours can be a nuisance for nearby communities and may even pose health risks. Effective odour control measures can help to mitigate these negative impacts and ensure that the remediation site is a safe and pleasant place for all stakeholders.

There are several strategies that can be employed to manage odours at remediation sites. Some of the most effective approaches include:

1. Source control: This involves identifying and eliminating the sources of odours at the site. This may include removing or properly disposing of odorous materials, sealing off areas that are prone to odours, and installing ventilation systems to help reduce the concentration of odorous gases.
2. Chemical treatments: Odour-neutralizing chemicals can be applied to surfaces or injected into the air to help neutralize odours. These chemicals are often used in conjunction with other odour control measures to provide a more comprehensive solution.
3. Biofiltration: This involves using plants or microorganisms to filter and break down odorous gases and compounds. Biofilters can be used to effectively remove odours from the air, and can be a natural and cost-effective alternative to chemical treatments.
4. Carbon adsorption: Activated carbon is highly effective at absorbing a wide range of odorous compounds and gases. Carbon adsorption systems can be used to filter and remove odours from the air, and are often used in conjunction with other odour control measures.
5. Thermal oxidation: This involves using high temperatures to destroy odorous compounds and gases. Thermal oxidation systems can be used to effectively remove odours from the air, and are often used in conjunction with other odour control measures.

In addition to these strategies, it is important to implement proper waste management practices at the site to help reduce odours. This may include properly sealing and storing odorous materials, and ensuring that all waste is properly disposed of in accordance with local regulations.

Overall, effective odour control management at remediation sites is crucial for the health and well-being of nearby communities, as well as the success of the remediation efforts. By implementing a variety of strategies and best practices, it is possible to effectively manage odours and create a safe and pleasant environment for all stakeholders.

For more information or if there are any further question, visit http://www.anotec.com.au or e-mail Anotec's technical team directly at technical@anotec.com.au

 

terms to learn in evaluating odours

 Odour Intensity: It is the perceived strength of an odour above its threshold. It is determined by an odour panel and is described in categories which progress from “Not perceptible”; “Very Weak”; “Weak”; “Distinct”; “Strong”; “Very Strong” to “Extremely Strong”.

Hedonic Tone: It is the degree to which an odour is perceived as pleasant or unpleasant. Such perceptions differ widely from person to person and are strongly influenced by previous experiences and emotions at the time the hedonic tone is evaluated.

Odour Character: It is basically what the odour smells like. It allows one to distinguish between different odours. For example, ammonia gas has a pungent and irritating smell. The character of an odour may change with dilution.

odour control

Volunteers amble through olfactory jungle of NYC

NEW YORK — From rotting garbage to sweet-roasting peanuts at sidewalk stands, New Yorkers are constantly bombarded with the aromas of urban life.

"You're walking into the olfactory jungle," said perfume designer Celine Barel of International Flavors and Fragrances on Friday at a daylong conference devoted to smells and the city.

That dazzling variety of smells has given a group of researchers at Rockefeller University the perfect bouquet from which to sniff out the mystery of how people process olfactory sensations.

"We don't know what the rules are for going from a smell to a sensation of smell," said Leslie Vosshall, one of the scientists, who presented some of her group's findings at the conference at the New School.

In a five-year study aimed at creating a "smell demography" of New York City, she said they subjected hundreds of volunteers found through Craigslist to intensive smell testing and found that the most pleasant scent, across groups, is vanilla.

The worst: Isovaleric acid, most commonly associated with eau de sweaty sock.

Among the more interesting findings so far was that men secrete a particular smell that about 15 percent of New Yorkers are less likely to respond to, she said. The best smellers were young females who don't smoke.

There were also a lot of volunteers who had a distorted view of their own nose.

"We found a whole lot of people who are incredibly into volunteering for smell studies and are completely blind to odors," she said, adding that unlike people who suffer from blindness, they are "completely unaware" of their inability to detect scents.

Odor has become a stinky point in New York City over the years, from complaints about the stench from factories in the Bronx to mystery odors tracked to New Jersey.

In 2009, a maple syrup smell that drifted through parts of the city more than half a dozen times was traced by a team of odor investigators to a Garden State facility that processes fenugreek seeds for flavorings. In a separate case, a team of investigators from New York and New Jersey was unable to determine the origin of a foul stench that drifted up the Hudson River in 2007.

Most of the more than 6,000 odor and fumes complaints received by the city in 2009 originated in Manhattan, said city Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Farrell Sklerov. The complaints encompassed idling vehicles, smells from restaurants, private garbage collection and dry cleaning.

Most New Yorkers have become accustomed to the daily smells of their metropolis, though they don't necessarily like them.

"It smells terrible," said Susan Wong, of the Bronx, walking out the door of a meat market on a Chinatown street, followed by a whiff of roasting animal. She said she particularly hates the way the garbage smells. "You just don't want to come here. You want to go as far as you can."

Eddie Hires, 50, said how it smells depended on the time of the year.

"Right now, it's all right," said Hires, standing on Canal Street in Chinatown, wearing a flimsy sign that read "We buy gold, jewelry & watches." "But then in the summer, they have garbage trucks, and it smells like dead bodies or something. It's awful."

A pair of tourists walking down a nearby street passed a fish market, where raw fillets rested on ice in plastic bins, and a tchotchke store, where sandalwood incense was burning slowly.

After stopping in front of a meat market where ducks and chickens hung from hooks, one of the tourists, Ellie Simpson, 17, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, said the city's smell was a great guide for tourists.

"You don't have to look," she said. "You just have to smell."

For Dr. Uddalak Majundar, who recently moved to New York City from Calcutta, India, the many odors make the city come alive for him.

"You can have an entire group of people communicate their culture through their smells," he said.