GET TO GRIPS WITH ODOUR COMPLAINTS

Do you operate a site that produces odorous emissions? If so, you probably receive complaints from time to time. You may also notice you receive more than usual during summer as people spend more time in their gardens. Let’s take a detailed look at why you get (and do not get) odour complaints. Most importantly, we explore how you can use them to your advantage. Specifically, you can use odour complaints to improve your odour management plan and your relationships with your local community.

ARE ODOUR COMPLAINTS A BIG DEAL?

Sorry to bear bad news, but yes. Odour complaints can be a very big deal indeed. The chances are that you probably only get a few odour complaints here and there, which does not seem too bad. But it is easy to vastly under-estimate the scope of complaints. Here is how.

When you receive a single complaint, it can indicate another 25 people who have experienced the same issue but do not complain. And despite not complaining through official channels, those people are likely to relay their experience to at least ten others. This means that, in reality, there could be more than 250 negative contact points for every complaint received. So, a slightly bigger deal than it first appears then.

This is especially true recently, thanks to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. It is now much easier and faster than ever to disseminate information to a greater audience. And unfortunately, people are more likely to talk about a bad experience than a good one.

WHY DOESN’T EVERYONE COMPLAIN?

It is easy to think that no (or low) complaints equal no problem. But is that accurate? Well, in our experience, the reality could be quite different. There are many reasons why somebody may choose not to complain.

Here are some of the most common.

Vested Interests

Having a vested interest in the producer of nuisance odour is perhaps the most notable reason somebody may choose not to complain. For example, the region’s primary employer may be causing the problem in small communities. Understandable, then, to decide not to complain if it could risk your livelihood.

Odour Tolerance

Similarly, those working and living near odorous facilities can very easily develop a long-term tolerance to an odour. In a nutshell, this means they do not smell it after a while. Think about when you go on holiday. The plane has a very particular smell to it when you board. But after a while, you get used to it and do not smell it anymore. Thank goodness.

Remember, though, that this is not quite the same for odour consultants. While the Silsoe Odours team regularly work with odour, we are trained professionals. We use scientific methods and equipment to analyse and mitigate odours in various environments.

Complaint Fatigue

People also get fed up with complaining, particularly if they have repeatedly complained in the past. They may believe it will not make a difference, so it wastes their time. Or it could be that while an odour is annoying, it is not that annoying. And if you know it will not last long, why waste time and energy on it?

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

As we all know, the pandemic somewhat interrupted the normal state of affairs. Suddenly, people found themselves with fewer options to keep them occupied. Many of us spent long periods at home and in our gardens. People had plenty of time on their hands and increased access to odour nuisances. As you can imagine, in some instances, this provided a perfect storm for a potential increase in complaints.

We continue to see the fallout of the pandemic, with working from home now the norm for many. So it is more important than ever to ensure you are on top of your potential odour emissions and their impact on the local community.

HOW TO TELL IF A COMPLAINT IS VALID

Odour complaints are incredibly subjective. So, of course, there are factors to consider. A single report may be well-meaning and accurate. However, the complainant could be mistaken about the odour’s date, time or source. On the other hand, a complaint could be malicious or part of an ongoing personal campaign. We tend to see this where a complainant has an ongoing issue with the operator.

Complainants may be asked to maintain odour logs to validate the extent of an odour issue. The Environment Agency has developed an Odour Complaint Report Form, which you can find in their H4 Odour Guidance. The form captures a range of factors that help qualify a complaint’s accuracy, helping to identify incident patterns, process behaviour and daily patterns. The Environment Agency Officer will use it to build a picture of what is actually going on at a site. They should also conduct site visits or field monitoring.

Of course, this requires a sound understanding of how odour disperses, as a single ‘sniff’ may give a vastly skewed picture of an odour emission. Analytical techniques and modelling, such as dispersion modelling, are often more effective in getting a complete picture.

You may also find conducting your own odour measurement and impact analysis activities worthwhile, such as a sniff survey or an odour sampling survey. The data output of these kinds of analyses can be critical. Firstly, for improving your odour management plan. And secondly, in court cases, to demonstrate an effective response to odour complaints.

HOW CAN COMPLAINTS BE VALUABLE?

There is no immediate need to panic if you receive a few odour complaints. They do not substantiate a permit breach. Importantly though, they do provide evidence of patterns of odour emissions. The regulator can use this to support their investigation, which may achieve substantiation of a permit breach. Complaints can also corroborate evidence of known failures and demonstrate the extent of the impact on the local community when an operator fails to control its process. Patterns of failure and response can be very influential in court cases involving odour complaints.

Having said that, it is also true that odour complaints can be very powerful for operators. They allow you to demonstrate your commitment to responding to (and addressing) odour management problems. The best way to do this is with a robust and effective odour management plan.

WHAT IS AN ODOUR MANAGEMENT PLAN?

An odour management plan is a detailed document that outlines how you manage odours on your site(s). It should form the basis of your daily permit compliance work for your employees, and they should consult it regularly. The plan will instruct how to assess, mitigate and manage odour emissions effectively. It should also include a complaints management procedure outlining what to do when you receive a complaint.

When you put together your odour management plan, you should consider who or what ‘receptors’ are near your site (for example, schools, businesses, homes) and how your emissions may impact them. You should also look at your processes and take action to minimise their odour output. In addition, your plan should include a robust system for ongoing monitoring. This allows you to check the performance of your processes and address any issues before they become problematic.

HELP! MY ODOUR MANAGEMENT PLAN STINKS!

It is not unusual for an odour management plan to need a bit of tweaking (or creating). The good news is that many resources are available to help you. To get you started, here is what is available from the Environment Agency and the IAQM.

Moreover, our team at Silsoe Odours has plenty of experience and is happy to talk through your odour queries. Please do feel free to give us a call on 01525 860222.

Updated 1st March 2023
Ref: Professor Phil Longhurst, Cranfield University