Autumn Odour Management: Why Training & Review Matter
Autumn sits in the seasonal odour management cycle between the high-demand summer months and the preparatory winter period. With summer complaints behind you, this quieter season provides the perfect window for autumn odour management activities. It’s the perfect time to train staff, finalise odour assessments and update processes, procedures and equipment.
Taking action now ensures your site remains compliant, well-managed, and ready for future odour challenges.
Why Autumn Odour Planning Matters
As temperatures drop and community sensitivity decreases, odour complaints are less frequent. This gives you the space to:
- Conduct staff training and odour sensitivity testing without summer pressures
- Finalise odour assessments for planning applications
- Identify improvements for equipment, processes and reporting
- Update your odour management plan for the upcoming year
Autumn is the perfect opportunity to strengthen odour control systems before winter. In doing so, you will make next year’s odour management more effective.
Odour Training: Prepare Your Team for the Year Ahead
Competent staff are critical to successful odour management. Autumn is an ideal time for training. This is because it avoids the busy months and ensures staff remain compliant with the BS EN 13725:2022 odour assessment standard.
Properly trained staff can respond proactively when odour risks increase. This will help reduce complaints and regulatory exposure.
Key Actions for Autumn Odour Training
- Schedule odour sensitivity testing at a UKAS-accredited laboratory
- Review summer odour logs to identify training gaps
- Update staff on monitoring procedures, escalation routes, and reporting responsibilities
- Ensure staff understand regulatory expectations for the coming year
Finalise Planning Applications in the Autumn
Autumn is also the optimal time to finalise odour assessments needed for planning applications. Generally, the planning authority will stipulate that you complete them between May and September. So, get any outstanding assessments completed as quickly as you can. Finalising this work now prevents delays and strengthens your planning applications for next year.
In this period, you can:
- Review whether any odour assessments remain incomplete from the summer
- Schedule early odour assessments for planning applications needed next year
- Compile supporting evidence for planning submissions
- Coordinate with a UKAS-accredited odour consultancy for planning and compliance to ensure robust, defensible data
Review Equipment, Processes & Procedures
Include a review of equipment, processes and procedures in your autumn odour management activity. With production pressures lower, you can:
- Inspect odour abatement equipment, scrubbers, biofilters, and containment systems
- Review material handling, storage, and disposal procedures
- Confirm maintenance schedules are up to date
- Identify minor upgrades or adjustments for winter
Documenting these checks in your odour management plan demonstrates proactive odour control to regulators. It also strengthens compliance evidence.
Update Your Annual Odour Management Plan
Autumn actions feed directly into your seasonal odour management cycle. By taking positive steps now, you can set your site up for smooth operations next year. Use the quieter autumn months to:
- Review and update operational procedures and odour monitoring records
- Analyse summer monitoring data and complaint trends
- Update your odour management plan with findings and improvements
This ensures your approach is up-to-date and compliant. Cross-reference your spring and summer activities to ensure a seamless seasonal approach. For further guidance, see:
Spring Odour Management: Preparing Your Site for Summer Compliance
Summer Odour Management: How to Prevent Complaints in Hot Weather
Expert Support for Autumn Odour Management
Autumn is your chance to prevent problems before they escalate next year. Silsoe Odours provides UKAS-accredited odour sampling and analysis services. We also offer odour training and seasonal advice.
Whether you need an autumn review, staff training or preparation for next year’s challenges, our team can help.
Call: 01525 860222 | Email: info@silsoeodours.co.uk.
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Article updated 4th March 2026
