Case: Creamery in the Countryside

‘Fishy smell’ from creamery prompts uproar in Cornwall village

When odour emitters ignore their neighbours, things can become difficult, as the owners of a creamery found out a while ago in the UK.

“If it was the occasional whiff it would be fine, you expect that living in the country, but now it’s all the time”

As D-NOSES argues, persistent exposure to bad odours has significant effects on people’s lives. And the more affected populations are ignored or treated as hysterical, the more the pressure will build up which can lead to legal interventions which can be an unnecessary financial burden, and risk!

This can be avoided with timely and sincere engagement from all sides, using the D-NOSES methods of stakeholder engagement for odour governance. After all, there is usually plenty of goodwill in the beginning:

“We appreciate that the company provides lots of jobs for the local area”.

But as time and feet drag on, the cynicism can spread and make progress difficult even once the emitters have agreed to act:

“Our biggest fear is that it will make a few improvements so that they can expand and that afterwards it’ll go back to the way it is now”.

By taking a pro-active stance, odour emitters can improve stakeholder relationships and engage in a more positive and constructive atmosphere that can avoid difficult situations:

An agency investigation also found that Dairy Crest “remains non-compliant” with the environmental permit issued for the plant.

D-NOSES can bring together the industry, the citizens and local authorities in a constructive and mutually beneficial activity. For the industry, the data provided by citizens can be used to provide real-time feedback on odours rather than using slow and costly odour studies. The citizens are heard and engaged, which makes it more likely to find a balanced solution that improves their lives. For the local authorities it can help preserve economic advantages while maintaining a healthy environment.

Sign up for our newsletter, and explore the International Odour Observatory to learn more and find out how you can play a part in resolving complex odour issues in your area.

www.odourobservatory.org

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