Analysis of international legislation related to odour impact management shows a wide variety of approaches and limits to tackle odour emissions. One of the most common approaches is setting a limit in odour units at the receptor.

   Dynamic olfactometry measurement at the source coupled with dispersion modelling is often used although there are other approaches very much valid, such as field inspections. The Odour Impact Criteria (OIC) set are different, depending, for example, on the hedonic tone of the odours.

C. N. Díaz

Olores.org, Spain

   In December 2019, the European IPPC Bureau published 2 new Best Reference Guidelines (BREFs) for: Food, Drink and Milk Industries and Waste Incineration. These two particular BREFs have something in common, they both include the Odour Management Plan (OMP) as one of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) for odour control and/or monitoring.

   There are over 30 BREF documents published to date for a set of industrial activities under the European Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). Unfortunately, odour impact was something not very well taken into account in the oldest BREF, but this is finally changing in the revisions being published along the last years. From now on, any food/drink industry or any waste incineration plant in Europe will need to carry out an Odour Management Plan when needed, as it is listed as one of the BATs.