Improving the assessment and management of the health aspects of odour exposure

Complaints regarding environmental odours are common. Such complaints may be reported as a nuisance or related to health effects. Odour complaints are difficult to manage and resolve. One of the reasons for this is that odours are complex entities and difficult to characterise. In addition, there is uncertainty regarding the impact odours can have on health. The objectives of this research were to create a knowledge-base on the subject of odours, to examine the relationship between odours and health effects and to develop tools and guidance to improve the assessment and management of odour related incidents. The research was generated by the investigation of a series of odour incidents where the Health Protection Agency has been asked for advice on the health protection impacts of odours. In addition, an experimental study investigating exposure patterns in different environmental settings was carried out. A model of olfactory response was applied to the experimental data in order to gain insights into that process and the potential for odour complaints. The research has developed improved methods for the determination and estimation of population exposure to chemicals involved in, or associated with, odour complaints to aid the assessment of health effects. The knowledge leads to new approaches to community level hazard assessment for odour and is beneficial for health professionals and regulators of environmental odours. The results of this project have important implications for the way in which odour incidents are managed and with respect to the regulation of odorous emissions. In addition to investigating exposure assessment, a toolkit was developed to assist dealing with odour related issues. This toolkit improves the public health response to odour incidents, helping to ensure that odours pose a minimal risk to public health.