Odour annoyance in a residential area near a papermill

A papermill in a small town has for many years caused a lot of odour annoyance. Odour exposures were determined by odour emission measurements and dispersion calculations. Odour exposure on immission level was determined by the use of a trained sniffing team. Odour annoyance was determined by panellists using a diary four times a day during a six week period. The odour annoyance was calculated as an Odour Annoyance Index. Distinction was made between different types of odours (rotten, wood). The relation between odour annoyance and the direction of wind and the distance of the observations from the source is presented. The relations between two dispersion models, the measured immission by the sniffing team and the odour annoyance, as determined by the panellists, are presented.

The relations between the distance from the source and the odour annoyance is strong. The relation between the direction of wind and the odour annoyance is also strong. A trend is shown between the odour annoyance and the immission level determined by the sniffing team. A strong correlation is found between the exposure calculated with the dispersion models and the measurements by the sniffing team.