New International Handbook on the Assessment of Odor Exposure Using Dispersion Modelling.

A new development towards the first worldwide guideline on the assessment of odor exposure by using dispersion modeling is taking its first steps. At this stage, there are many initiatives around the world related to dispersion modeling but there is no specific guideline for odor modeling to our knowledge. Modeling odors is complex and many of the guidelines on modeling published around the world fall short in treating this vector. Odor modeling often requires forgetting traditional dispersion modeling operating modes and focusing on exposure. Odors are perceived in seconds or minutes, not hours, and this is key in calculating their impact on ambient air. Most odor incidents are generated during calm or very low wind speeds which do not facilitate the dispersion of an odor and that makes modeling challenging. There are also elements that need to be further investigated, such as the chemical mechanisms of odors to avoid conservative treatment of odors, perhaps grouping 'odor types' by their chemical nature, so that it will be possible in the future to treat odors emitted by a WWTP differently than those produced by a composting facility. Last, but not least, there is a need to investigate the role of Instrumental Odor Monitoring Systems (IOMS) on the evaluation of model performance. Development of this guideline is an initiative promoted by over 36 experts around the globe in the area of modeling odors. The group is led by Dr. Gunther Schauberger and Ms. Jennifer Barclay. The first meeting took place in August 2020, and there are planned monthly meetings. The aim of this paper is to report on the advances being made for this initiative.