The German Committee on Indoor Air Guide Values (AIR) has recently unveiled the latest revision of their Odour Guide Values (OGVs), available on their website as of August 2023. These updated values are the result of a meticulous review and integration of new scientific and analytical findings, further enhancing their commitment to addressing indoor air quality concerns.

The OGVs are used to assess the plausibility of complaints about odour annoyance in indoor air. These values indicate the threshold at which measures should be taken to minimize odour exposure. OGVs are established to address concerns about exposure to indoor air pollutants causing unusual or unpleasant odours. The focus is on potential annoyance effects associated with indoor air quality.

   A couple of days ago, the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security of Italy published the national guidelines for monitoring and assessing industrial odour emissions. The Directorial Decree approving the Guidelines for the application of Article 272-bis of Legislative Decree 152/2006 on odorous emissions of plants and activities, was approved on the 18 June. This is the first step towards a more uniform application of good practices for monitoring and impact assessment of facilities and activities with potential odour impact.

   The Italian "Testo Unico in materia ambientale" is a law of the Italian Republic enacted by the Legislative Decree No 152 of 3 April 2006. This regulation of 172 pages and 318 articles has water, waste and air regulations chapters. Article 272 of this Legislative Decree has a couple of paragraphs with specific provisions for odour. There was a need for more developed guidelines. After years of development those have just been published.