The Odor Management Blog

Are Factories Solely Responsible for Odor Problems?

  

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Where their is odor, there is blame. And its usually municipal and industrial sites that get the blame. Most people never consider that naturally occurring odors could be the real source.

In fact, at Odotech, we used our odor measurement methods in private studies to show that the odor generated by some swamps was very easily confused with the odor from a nearby landfill site.

Swamp gas is produced by the fermentation of organic matter. The spontaneous ignition of this gas causes will-'o-the-wisp, which has given rise to many medieval legends. This swamp gas is a natural biogas consisting of methane and VOC, H2S, and various strong-smelling organic compounds, just like the biogas produced in landfill sites and methanization units. The tests showed that from a typical dilution level representative of the odor exposure to local residents, most people found it impossible to tell the difference between the swamp odor and the landfill odor.

Another example comes from urban areas where the residents are bothered by unpleasant odors like rancid butter or vomit. This odor comes from a beautiful tree: the Maidenhair tree, or ginkgo biloba. These trees have no seeds, but the male specimens have cylindrical catkins, and the female trees have ovules, containing butanoic acid. This chemical substance is the source of the nasty odor.

Another source of odor are the edges of bodies of water, that given the right conditions, are sometimes a source of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) odors. The proliferation of algae that can accumulate in stagnant water and then decompose anaerobically generates H2S emissions smelling like a sewer. In larger bodies of water, the tide can bring in organic materials and algae, which build up on the shore, causing major odors when they decompose.

As a factory or plant manager, you are no doubt conscientious about limiting the release of odors into your local environment. But it can be hard to tell how much of the problem is due to industrial or municipal odors, and how much comes from natural odors that are beyond your control.

The OdoWatch odor monitoring and tracking solution will let you determine the incremental impact of the odors caused by specific activities. With Electronic Noses (e-noses) positioned near the odor sources, combined with real-time 3D odor monitoring, you can tell your odor contribution apart from the general background smells.

This can bring significant savings in operating costs as well as reducing complaints and fines. Using OdoWatch's objective data to show the community, the authorities, and your neighbors the limited extent of your contribution to the odor environment, will be a benefit to your plan and put everyone under less pressure.