The Odor Management Blog

Managing the odor risks : Typical deficiencies (part 2)

 

Our previous blog discussed the need for odor risk management; as a follow-up we will now explore some of the most common problems in typical odor management plans.

Let's first look at the typical steps in a project, presented by the following :

It is possible that the steps may not always be in the same sequence but they are usually always present. Many, if not all, steps must consider odor issues and risks. The following list summarizes the typical problems seen during these various steps.
 

Incorrect Assumptions

• Odor management is simply a threshold value (i.e. in a licence/permit/authorisation circumstance) 

• New technology or enclosed buildings will eliminate the odor complaint potential

 

• Secondary and infrequent sources do not have a significant off-site impact 

• A buffer zone is not necessary for an enclosed operation

 

Co-Effects

 

• Following the first odor event: Increasing concerns and vigilance of nearby residents and other stakeholders 

• Odor events will act as a catalyst to other types of complaints (noise, light, traffic, water, dust, etc.)

 • One of the major cause of closure and loss of capacity in the waste management industry!  

Site selection

 

• Insufficient odor risk assessment (history, other sources, neighborhood, topography, no preliminary odor impact study) 

• Access routes to the site are not studied

• Insufficient buffer

• Insufficient available operational surface

 

Choice of technologies/concepts

 

• Accept the performance claims of providers without proof and / or evidence 

• The application of unproven technologies

 

• Flexibility too limited (possible needs not considered) 

• Minimize the odor issue and neglecting the level of treatment required

 

• Designs do not consider the offsite impact of odors

 

Choice of treatment or abatement technologies/concepts

• Often solutions are too simplistic and not studied

 

• Pilot / small scale testing not done before full implementation
• Co-effects of solutions : other contaminants emitted, impacts on the process, human resources requirements, social impacts, long-term operating cost (as chemical solutions can be very expensive in the long-run)   

• Other mitigating factors apply (for example: height limitation, noise limit, zoning, etc.)

Consultations with stakeholders 

• Lack of factual information on odors risk to present to stakeholders

• Promise of «zero odors»

• Benchmarking needed to compare to other facilities with odor history

Request for proposals

• The odor aspect is not clearly presented in the requirements and specifications

• Performance guaranty and testing process not established

• Needs and odor risks not defined

Application for permits and grants

• Odor impact studies are often requested and performed at "the eleventh hour" with many bad surprises...

• Arguments due to inadequate and insufficient odor knowledge when seeking permits

• No pre-project consultation... Context now less conducive with stakeholders

Operations

• Insufficient odor monitoring and associated critical factors

• No knowledge of the critical factors

• No personnel training

• "Firefighting" rather than preventive measures

• Monitoring too simplistic

• No room for error, procedural problems or equipment failure;

• Little feedback or re-evaluation of actions

Our next blog will cover what to do in order to properly manage the odor risk...

 

Managing the odor risks: Why it's critical (part 1)

Why manage the odor risks?

• Historical problems with industrial sites: stakeholders on the lookout

• Odor is unlike other contaminants; the sensory reaction is much quicker, feedback is generally very quick

• The trend towards litigation and class actions for nuisances (often in the millions of dollars)

• Increasing number of guidelines, laws and permits (often retroactive)

• Imposed sanctions on sites such as closure, reduced production rates imposed and other unforeseen costs

 

Odor risk management, the basic needs

• Need to understand the emission footprint of the facility

• Need to monitor sources

• Need to develop an internal odor expertise (emission, control, dispersion, perception, etc.)

The tools already exist (odor diagnostic, impact study, monitoring, sensitivity analysis, etc.)!

How to evaluate your odor risk (R factor)

The concept of FIDOL (Frequency, Intensity, Duration, Offensiveness and Location) is standard in the odor management industry, however the reality is a bit more complex (L becomes N x M and C is of importance since it is often the only measured and controlled value). The concept (simplified) can therefore be expanded to :

R = F x C x I x D x O x N x M

F = probability (or frequency)

C = Odor Concentration

I = Odor intensity

D = Duration of events

O = Offensiveness or Hedonic tone

N = Number of affected people

M = Mysterious factor: increases with media coverage, poor communication, history of the site, history of the industry, stakeholders interests,…

Factor M is where preventative management has the largest return

Managing odor risks - Too expensive?

Using as an example: of $ 50/ton x 75,000 tons x 4 years

• Income estimated to 15 $M

• Comprehensive odor management plan (diagnostic, modeling, measurement and real time modeling, citizen committee) estimated at $ 60 000/year: 1.6% of the annual projected income or $ 0.80 per ton

But most importantly, the management plan minimizes:

• The risk of reduced or lost earnings

• The costs of crisis management

• The costs associated with legal problems

Our next blog will cover the typical deficiencies in odor management plans...