Cap Ecologia goes after bad odors using e-noses
Posted by Thierry Page on Wed, Jul 20, 2011 @ 07:41 PM
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The SMTD and the Urban Community of Pau-Pyrénées (South-West of France) have organized a visitor's center at the site of Cap Ecologia in Lescar.
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This site has been operational since April of 2008, and offers a free guided visit of the various treatment facilities to the public.
This urban community, which comprises the 14 districts of Pau-Pyrénées, and the Syndicat Mixte de Traitement des Déchets (joint waste treatment association), which manages Cap Ecologia, are strengthening their transparency policy in regards to the operation and control of odor impact resulting from the site’s facilities: an incineration plant, a wastewater treatment plant, a composting plant, a waste management facility, a rehabilitated landfill, and a transfer dock, all certified ISO 14001.
Since 2009, Cap Ecologia has been using the OdoWatch system, which allows for the continuous monitoring, analysis, and management of odors.
According to Marc Jubault-Bregler, President of Cap Ecologia, “The OdoWatch system acquisition confirms the willingness of elected officials and managers to better track and manage all of the site’s odor issues, beyond simply meeting regulatory requirements. Our goal is to work towards zero nuisances. In fact, the challenges involving the location of the facilities - the proximity to a shopping center and an industrial area - require special attention. To achieve this goal, Veolia Water, a developer of wastewater treatment plants that holds a procurement contract with the SMTD and the district’s urban community, offered to install an OdoWatch system for us, a highly advanced technological solution to continuously measure odors, identify emission sources, and have a deep understanding of the phenomena in order to minimize these odors”.
Three e-noses to help track bad odors
The OdoWatch solution installed at the Cap Ecologia site is equipped with three 
electronic noses located at the main emitting sources, a dedicated weather station, a wireless communication system, a control unit and a computer for monitoring the results in real time. By merging the data received from the weather station with those sent by the electronic noses, the control center models the atmospheric dispersion of odors and displays the plume superimposed over the site’s aerial map.
These objective data will greatly improve the operator’s - VEOLIA Eau - knowledge of the nuisances and allow tangible information to be given to the people in the community. This makes OdoWatch a tool for managing and optimizing the site’s operation.
