YOUR GUIDE TO MANAGING ODOUR FOR EVERY SEASON

A schedule for managing odour emissions is a simple but valuable tool. A comprehensive list of ‘to-do’ items for each season can help you minimise malodours in the best possible manner. Specifically, you will be able to:

• avoid or resolve odour issues before they become significant problems
• meet your planning and regulatory obligations
• save both time and money
• minimise odour complaints

Use this seasonal guide to help schedule your odour checks. Ideally, build it into your odour management plan and best practice policy. Revisit your list monthly and at the beginning of each season. Following these steps can help you effectively control your site’s odour emissions. Remember, though, that every site is different. So make sure your plan is suitable for your needs.

Once you develop your checklist, you may require support with seasonal odour monitoring, testing and sampling tasks. In this case, Silsoe Odours can work closely with your team to make sure you achieve your goals.

WINTER

A wintry snow day at the Silsoe Odours laboratory

Cold weather makes conducting on-site odour sampling and surveys difficult (although not impossible). Not only is it cold and uncomfortable for the assessor, but inclement weather can also impact the quality of the results. What’s more, bacteria that cause odour grow and travel more slowly in cold weather. All in all, things are less smelly in the winter.

However, this does not mean you should abandon your odour management activity during these months. Take the chance to review your odour control equipment and systems and ensure good housekeeping is in place. Pay close attention to areas of your site where odours may occur. Check that your material containment systems are up to scratch, and plan to upgrade them if not. Look at how you can minimise and resolve spillages quickly and effectively. Make sure your materials do not build up when they are no longer needed, and have a system in place to dispose of them. You can also review your buildings and organise any upgrades needed to minimise fugitive emissions.

In addition, take extra care of your odour control systems. Firstly, test that they are working correctly by conducting odour sampling from your point sources. Secondly, check you have a suitable year-round maintenance plan in place. If you are considering upgrading odour abatement equipment, you may also benefit from odour dispersion modelling.

SPRING

If you spent your winter thinking about managing odour effectively, then you are in great shape. You should know precisely what changes you need to make to ensure your site is in tip-top order ahead of summer’s “smelly season”. Use the spring months to install new odour abatement and containment equipment, and complete any remedial work that is necessary.

Managing odour is a crucial requirement for achieving planning permission for new and updated developments.

Now is also the time to schedule your summer odour work. Thinking ahead in this way can be particularly important for planners and developers. If you intend to seek planning permission, you will need to provide an odour assessment with your application. For sites near existing operators which produce malodours, you need to think carefully about the timing. Odour assessments should take place between May and September. Results from these months will give a genuine picture of the ‘worst-case’ impact of odour emissions at your site. Your planning permission may be rejected if your data is collected outside these core months. In turn, this could delay your application until the following summer.

SUMMER

When it comes to odour, summer is where it all kicks off. Climate conditions mean smells intensify and travel more quickly, and people are outside more to notice the scent. In combination, this is why you might see a surge in odour complaints during the warmer months and heightened interest from the regulator. You should already have working, effective, well-maintained odour abatement equipment and procedures. The key now is to stay on top of things so that if something changes, you can identify and remedy an odour problem quickly (ideally, before the community does).

Your summer odour management schedule should include odour monitoring, sampling and analysis.

Implement a daily odour monitoring procedure. Nominate specific, trained members of staff to assess odours around the site. Doing this all year round is preferable but critical for the summer months. It is also sensible to appoint an experienced, independent odour consultancy to support your odour management activity. Unsurprisingly, Silsoe Odours are an excellent choice for this. We can help you with UKAS-accredited odour sampling and testing, which will highlight any issues promptly.

As we mentioned before, this is also when you want to conduct all your odour assessment activity in support of any planning applications.

By ticking all these things off your seasonal checklist, you can ensure you minimise odours and comply with your operating permit and odour requirements.

AUTUMN

It is important to keep good records of how you manage odour. Monitoring staff must complete odour sensitivity testing in line with EN13725.

Nowadays, we often see very warm weather during the traditional autumn months. As a result, you may find that the odour items we mentioned for the summer period naturally extend further into this time of year.

But as late autumn approaches, you will likely see things calm down. This period is the perfect time to consider any odour training you and your team may need to support your year-round odour monitoring. Odour sensitivity testing is a crucial place to start for anyone responsible for monitoring odour at a site. We can test your individual sensitivity to odour and confirm that you comply with European Odour Standard EN13725.

MANAGING ODOUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Managing odour does not stop when you finish writing your plan. You must implement an ongoing monitoring and maintenance schedule to control emissions effectively. In this way, you can prevent problems before they would otherwise occur. Take care to allocate the proper duties to the right people, and keep track of everything you do. When it comes to your environmental operating permit, all of these actions will be held in high regard. If you need support or have queries, do not hesitate to contact the Silsoe Odours team.

FIND A TRUSTED PARTNER FOR MANAGING ODOUR EMISSIONS

As we mentioned, it is likely that you will need some help to manage your site’s odour impact. Luckily, Silsoe Odours is at hand and well-positioned to help. We have a long history of industry-leading odour expertise. Plus, we hold UKAS accreditation for odour sampling and testing to give you even more confidence in our abilities. If you would like to get in touch, you can reach us on 01525 860222 or info@silsoeodours.co.uk. You can also click the button below.