Integrierte Vermeidung und Verminderung der Umweltverschmutzung

3.1.2.1 Odour
Chapter 3
Odour is mostly a local problem. Some air emissions which are harmful may also be
malodorous. For two identical installations producing the same products and using the same raw
materials and process operations, one may be subject to considerable complaints whilst for the
other, the odour emission may not be a problem. There are many cases where installations,
previously situated in rural areas on the outskirts of a town or city, are now faced with odour
problems as new housing estates have been constructed near the site as the town has grown.
In the vast majority of countries, odour emissions are regulated under the laws of nuisance.
Some countries have quantified legislation. This quantified legislation can relate to either the
magnitude of the malodorous emission or alternatively to a maximum concentration of a
component or group of components which are known to cause malodorous emissions. The
internationally accepted units of odour are “odour units per cubic metre” (OU/m 3 ). Instrumental
odour measurements exist but the quantification of odour is still based on olfactometry to a
great extent.
In Germany, e.g. the legislation for malodorous processes is largely directed towards ensuring
that the outlet concentration of organics is limited in relation to the process being conducted and
the efficiency of the chosen abatement plan. The legislation, under TA Luft [82, BMU and
German Federal Ministry for Environment Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety, 1986],
contains a general statement about odour emissions and describes the need to consider
containment, the surroundings and the ability of the abatement plan to achieve 99 % odour
reduction for odour emissions greater than 100000 OU/m 3 . For specific process operations TA
Luft provides maximum outlet concentrations of organics that should not be exceeded.
The Netherlands Emissions Guideline for Air [170, InfoMil, 2001], states that the national goal
is the prevention or reduction of odour nuisance. It sets an upper limit of 5 OU/m 3 as 98 % for
existing installations and suggests that a limit of 0.5 OU/m 3 as 99.5 % will have to be satisfied
for new installations; the latter is not an upper limit.
3.1.3 Loss of materials
3.1.3.1 Exceed weight/volume specification
Loss of products by overfilling occurs even with the most accurate filling equipment. Operating
to average filling weight legislation, the packaged product will unavoidably contain marginally
more than the nominal package contents. Because of its economic significance, overfill is
normally very closely monitored by check-weighing on a continuous or sampling basis. Such
loss of material is normally of no environmental significance. It is, however, very important
when conducting a mass balance, to accurately quantify the amount of overfill, so that this can
be allowed for in the mass balance equation.
3.1.3.2 Spillage
Spillage of the product, e.g. onto the floor, results in the product being unfit for human
consumption and must be defined as loss and waste, if not properly recovered. Routinely
occurring spillage indicates poor equipment design, poor maintenance or poor operation, e.g. of
a packaging line. This often causes a considerable loss of product and packaging material. When
spillage occurs during manual handling, the working procedures may be at fault.
3.1.3.3 Leakage/overflow
Leakage of liquid product from pipe joints and overflow from tanks may be an important source
of loss of material and waste, if not properly recovered. These problems can be caused, e.g. by
obsolete gaskets or faulty high level alarm switches.
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