A very interesting and open access paper will be published this month in the Journal of Environmental Management. This paper is signed by the well-known experts Marlon Brancher, Martin Piringer, Andreas F.Grauer and Günther Schauberger and deals with the interesting topic of setting up separation distances to avoid odour impacts.

   This study shows that the use of different odour impact criteria (OIC) produces different separation distances between odour sources and residential areas for an equivalent level of protection.

   Dispersion modelling is a key element of most odour assessments around the world. There are 2 or 3 well known dispersion models developed for regulatory assessments of which the most well-known are, AERMOD and CALPUFF. Because both models have been US EPA guideline models until CALPUFF was recently removed in 2017, they are routinely used in most air quality and odour assessments.

   This article highlights the history and background behind CALPUFF and, the reason for its removal as a US EPA guideline model. Concerns with AERMOD for odour assessments will be presented in a separate document, Part 2.

Jennifer Barclay

Atmospheric Science Global (ASG). Auckland, New Zealand