Odour Perception Using a Sniffing Team at a Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Plant: A Case Study

Abstract

The monitoring of odour intensity, generated by a landfill area, is a difficult activity since it is a multi-source problem with discontinuous odour emissions. A modified sniffing team method is described here and applied to determine the main odour sources in a landfill located in Pomerania, Poland. Four consecutive test sessions were performed during the following months: August, December, April, and June. It was found that the main odour sources are as follows: a closed-chamber composting facility for leach storage; the site wherein technological operations associated with compost turn-over during open-air aeration processes are performed; and the landfill site. The results of the sniffing team method present the indicative values of sensory testing. The application of the presented method was limited by disturbances due to changing atmospheric conditions. The calculated odour intensities and concentrations correspond with real sensitive perceptions of the tested environment.