The European Standard prEN 16841-2 (Determination of Odour in Ambient Air by Using Field Inspection: Plume Method): a Review of 20 Years Experience With the Method in Belgium

Abstract

In 2006 the WG27 of CEN TC264 started with the normalisation of the different methods for determination of odour in ambient air. Existing VDI standards for the grid method and the stationary plume method were used as a starting point in this standardization committee.
In Belgium however, there is since the early nineties a lot of experience with a slightly different method. This method, called the dynamic plume method, is since then widely used for determination of odour downwind of a source. The method itself is very easy to execute, doesn’t require special instruments and gives a very comprehensible output. The results of these observations are used in modelling exercises to determine the emission strength of a source and hence the odour impact on the surroundings. Emission is expressed as a number of sniffing units per second (su/s). The Flemish odour legislation is based on this methodology.
This paper gives an overview of the advantages and drawbacks of this method and indicates why this complementary method is a very valuable alternative for existing methods for the determination of odour. Attention is also given to uncertainty of this kind of measurements.