ROBERT SNEATH
Director
Robert Sneath is a leading odour specialist with extensive experience in odour research, measurement and laboratory analysis. He founded Silsoe Odours in 2005 and has developed it into the UK’s most established UKAS-accredited odour testing laboratory. Robert also holds MCERTS accreditation for stack sampling.
Accreditation & Standards
Robert led the development of Silsoe Odours’ UKAS accreditation for odour sampling and testing. This work is based on BS EN 13725:2022, the European standard for odour measurement.
He has also contributed to the development and revision of this standard through his involvement in the CEN working group TC264 WG2 “Odours”, where he has acted as a UK expert since 1995.
Technical Expertise
Robert has overseen a wide range of research projects, including odour monitoring instrumentation and IPPC projects for the Environment Agency. His work has focused on improving the measurement, interpretation and control of odour emissions in real-world regulatory contexts.
Prior to founding Silsoe Odours, Robert was Head of the Odour Laboratory and Senior Research Scientist within the Environment Group at the Silsoe Research Institute, an internationally recognised centre for environmental research. During this time, he contributed to multiple DEFRA-funded projects focused on odour and emissions from agricultural waste.
Research, Training & Professional Contribution
Robert has contributed to many scientific and technical committees and conferences, including NOSE 2016, AIDIC, the IWA Odour and Air Emissions conferences, and other international forums on environmental odour and VOCs. He has also acted as a tutor for several Environment Agency training programmes.
Robert is the author and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed journal papers, conference proceedings, and technical reports.
Selected Publications
– “SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW OF THE ODOUR REGULATIONS WORLDWIDE “
Bokowa, A.; Diaz, C.; Koziel, J.A.; McGinley, M.; Barclay, J.; Schauberger, G.; Guillot, J.-M.; Sneath, R.; Capelli, L.; Zorich, V.; Izquierdo, C.; Bilsen, I.; Romain, A.-C.; del Carmen Cabeza, M.; Liu, D.; Both, R.; Van Belois, H.; Higuchi, T.; Wahe, L. Summary and Overview of the Odour Regulations Worldwide. Atmosphere 2021, 12, 206.
– VERA BARBOSA; PHIL HOBBS; ROBERT SNEATH; JOANNA BURGESS; ET AL, Investigating the Capacity of an Activated Sludge Process to Reduce Volatile …Water Environment Research; Aug 2006; 78, 8; ProQuest Science Journals pg. 842
– A.TAMER VESTLUND*, G.H.DREW*, B.JEHLICKOVA*, P.OLSEN**, R.SNEATH°, S.TYRREL*, P.J. LONGHURST*, G.JORDINSON°° AND S.J.T. POLLARD, (2007) Comparison of odour and bioaerosol emissions and dispersion from three composting sites in Scotland, In press
– O. PAHL, A.G. WILLIAMS, R.W. SNEATH (2002) Reduction Of Ammonia and Odour Emissions From Pig Slurry Under Slats Using Oil And Foam Layers. Environmental Technology Vol. 23. Pp395-403
– SNEATH, R.W. European Odour Concentration Measurements by Dilution Olfactometry. Invited presentation at ECRO2002, Erlangen, Nurenburg, Germany. 23-27 July 2002
– Robertson, Hoxey, Demmers, Welch, Sneath, Stacey, Fothergill, Filmer, Fisher; Commercial-scale studies of the effect of broiler-protein intake on aerial pollutant emissions. Biosystems Engineering (2002) 82 (2) 217-225
– SNEATH. R.W. & PERSAUD. K.C. Chapter 15 Correlating electronic nose and sensory panel data. In “Handbook of Machine Olfaction”. Eds Pearce, Schiffman, Nagle, Gardner. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KgaA, Boschstrase 12, 69469 Weinheim, Germany. WILEY-VCH, 377-397
– SNEATH, R. W. (2003) Quality control of olfactometry at SRI and in Europe. International Workshop on Odour Measurement, Beppu City, Oita, Japan, 23-24 June 2003, 6pp
– BURTON,. C. H. SNEATH, R. W. (2001) Measurement and Control of offensive odours. In 5o Curso de Ingenieria Ambiental, Aplicacion agricola de residos organicos Jaue Boixadera & M. Rosa Teira (eds.) Lleida, Spain, 23-24-25 de Abril de 2001. 189-194
– SNEATH, R. W. (2001). Chapter 7 `Olfactometry and the CEN standard, prEN 13725`, pp 130-154 in “Odours in Wastewater Treatment: Measurement, Modelling and Control”. Eds. R Stuetz and F. Frechen. IWA.Publishing, Alliance House, 12 Caxton Street, London SW1H 0QS, UK.
– SNEATH, R. W., CLARKSON, C. (2000) Odour measurement, a standard for a code of practice. Water Science and Technology 41 (6), 23-31
– SNEATH, R. W. (2000) Olfactometry and the CEN standard. Proceedings of 1st International Meeting on Odour Measurement and Modelling, 31st May 2000 Ed. R. Stuetz, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK.
– SNEATH, R. W., CLARKSON, C. (2000) A standard that ensures repeatable odour measurements. Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Air pollution from agricultural operations, Des Moines, Iowa, 9-11 October 2000
– PAHL. O., WILLIAMS, A. G., SNEATH, R.W., GOODMAN, J., TAYLOR, L. GODWIN, R. J., HANN, M. J. (2000) Reducing Ammonia emissions from pig production – Experiences with oil and foam as a cover material for slurry under slats. Air pollution from agricultural operations, Presented at the 2nd International Conference on Air pollution from agricultural operations, Des Moines, Iowa, 9-11 October 2000
– PHILLIPS, V. R. , HOLDEN, M. R. , WHITE, R. P. , SNEATH, R. W. , DEMMERS, T. G. M. , WATHES, C. M. Measuring and reducing gaseous and particulate air pollution from UK livestock buildings (1995) 7th International Symposium on Agricultural and Food Processing Wastes, Chicago, 18-20 June 1995. Proceedings of the 7th Symposium 241-251
– AMON, M. , DOBEIC, M. , SNEATH, R. W. , PHILLIPS, V. R. , MISSELBROOK, T. H. , PAIN, B. F. A farm-scale study on the use of clinoptilolite zeolite and De-Odorase(R) for reducing odour and ammonia emissions from broiler houses (1997) Bioresource Technology 61 229-237
– WATHES, C. M. , HOLDEN, M. R. , SNEATH, R. W. , WHITE, R. P. , PHILLIPS, V. R. Concentrations and emission rates of aerial ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide, dust and endotoxins in UK broiler and layer houses (1997) British Poultry Science 38 14-28
– CHADWICK, D. R. , SNEATH, R. W. , PAIN, B. F. , PHILLIPS, V. R. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from UK agricultural livestock (1999) Proceedings of the Eigth International Conference of the FAO European Cooperative Research Network on Recycling of Agricultural, Municipal and Industrial Residues in Agriculture, Rennes, France, 26-29 May 1998 279-292
– PHILLIPS, V. R. , SNEATH, R. W. , WILLIAMS, A. G. , WELCH, S. K. , BURGESS, L. R. , DEMMERS, T. G. M. et al. Measuring emission rates of ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide from full-sized slurry and manure stores (1997) Proceedings of the international sympsium “Ammonia and odour control from animal production facilities”, Vinkeloord, The Netherlands, 6-10 October 1997 197-208
– PHILLIPS, V. R. , HOLDEN, M. R. , SNEATH, R. W. , SHORT, J. L. , WHITE, R. P. , WATHES, C. M. and others Concentrations and emissions of airborne endotoxins and microorganisms in livestock buildings in Northern Europe (1998) Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 70 (1) 97-109
– PHILLIPS, V. R. , HOLDEN, M. R. , SNEATH, R. W. , SHORT, J. L. , WHITE, R. P. , WATHES, C. M. and others Concentrations and emissions of ammonia in livestock buildings in Northern Europe (1998) Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 70 (1) 79-95
