Clarification of Answer by
chellphill-ga
on
22 May 2003 01:27 PDT
nazca-ga,
Thank you for your clarification request.
To address your question of what would be considered "best practices"
is going to be a little difficult
since there are so many variables. It is my understanding, from all
the research that I have done, there
is no hard line on what is considered "best practices". The deciding
factors of what would be considered
a standard for odor manegment will depend on the type of facility that
is needing odor control, it's
size, it's location in relation to neighboring businesses or homes,
whether or not the issue temporary or
a long standing one, and of course, most importantly, the budget that
the facility has to spend on odor
management. A facilities Best Management practices for odor control
may also depend on state or federal
laws, depending on what type of facility they are operating.
One common thread that all of these odor control plans have is that
good odor control starts with
"prevention". They all have various methods of eliminating/covering up
odor if it does get out of hand,
however the focus seems to be on preventing the odor from becoming an
issue in the first place. This can
be achieved through the facilities design, the way the material in
question is handled/housed and
through monitoring. Even when it does get to the point to where odor
control technologies must be used,
it is going to be difficult to point out one particular method that is
considered a standard or
considered "best practices" due to the fact that quite often
facilities needs will vary from situation
to situation. They will often implement the use of multiple odor
control techniques, or use one for a
while, and if that is inadequate, will then switch to another. Even
the companies that provide odor
control for facilities will state that "there is little known about
many of these technologies.."
I have highlighted some of the pertinent text from the links I had
listed previously as well as added
some more that have more detail about "best management practices".
I do hope that you find the information I have provided to be useful
to you.
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask in
a request for clarification!
Thanks so much, and have a nice day!
chellphill-ga
Composting:
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/odors/odor.html &
http://res2.agr.gc.ca/initiatives/manurenet/download/cornell_composting.pdf
Both have the same Odor Manegment philosophies.
"At many composting sites odors originate with the incoming
ingredients, which may have been stored
anaerobically (without oxygen) for a week or more before transport to
the site. Once these ingredients
are incorporated into the composting system, subsequent odor problems
are usually a result of low oxygen
or anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic odors include a wide range of
compounds, most notoriously the reduced
sulfur compounds (e.g. hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl
disulfide, and methanethiol),
volatile fatty acids, aromatic compounds and amines. Ammonia is the
most common odor that can be formed
aerobically as well as anaerobically, and thus has its own set of
management options."
"Oxygen is the obvious compound to add when the source of the odors is
anaerobic metabolism. Forced
aeration systems provide a way to mechanically introduce oxygen, and
are common at facilities composting
materials like biosolids (sewage sludge) with a high potential to
generate odors. These systems require
relatively uniform pile shapes and porosity to reduce the potential
for air to short-circuit along the
path of least resistance. In passively aerated systems, which depend
on diffusion and natural convection,
adequate porosity is essential to reduce the resistance to oxygen
movement. The pile or windrow
dimensions must also be appropriate for both the mix of ingredients
and stage in the composting process,
so that the oxygen diffusing into the pile is not entirely consumed
before it reaches the center."
"In addition to these traditional approaches to aeration, oxidizing
chemicals like hydrogen peroxide,
potassium permanganate, and chlorine are used by the wastewater
treatment industry for odor control.
These compounds will chemically oxidize anaerobic odors, but may kill
the composting microorganisms as
well. This is especially true for chlorine. In low concentrations,
evenly incorporated in a pile, a
compound like potassium permanganate could be effective, but would
probably also be expensive."
"Summary
Preventing excessive odors requires consistent management of the
composting process, starting with prompt
attention to incoming ingredients. Wet materials should be mixed with
a porous bulking amendment to
provide the necessary pre-conditions for oxygen transport, and then
must be aerated or turned as required
during the active stages of the composting process. Understanding the
factors leading to anaerobic
conditions (http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/odors/factors.html) ,
including the interactions of
particle size, porosity, moisture, and oxygen transport, will provide
additional insights into odor
prevention. While the emphasis should always be on prevention, odor
treatment may also be required,
particularly in sensitive neighborhoods".
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsiwm/document/guidance/gd_497.pdf
The Division of Solid and Infectious waste management cites in their
"Odor Management Practices for
Composting Facilities" that the most effective way of controlling odor
is through maintaining aerobic
conditions.. They state "With appropriate management practices, odors
can be greatly reduced, and even
eliminated." They claim that aerobic conditions can be maintained
through nutrient balance, temperature,
moisture content and aeration. They do state there are other ways of
managing odors, such as enzymatic
catalysts and oxidizing chemicals like hydrogen peroixied and
potassium permanganate. But their main
emphasis seems to be on maintaining aerobic conditions.
http://www.jgpress.com/BCArticles/2000/060052.html
"Key to prevention is proper operation of the composting system and
having the capability to capture and
treat odorous emissions. At LRI’s facility, our prevention plan
focuses on five primary components:"
Aeration, Control Process Variables:(influence of moisture content,
particle size distribution, pile
height and energy content of the composting mass on the rate of
composting,) Housekeeping, Biofilter
Management and Detection and Response.
http://www.forester.net/msw_0003_odor.html
"Odor-neutralizing chemicals delivered by misting systems can be much
more cost-effective. Experts in the
field, however, point out that this technology may not be appropriate
in all situations. Tim Planker from
Hinsilblon Laboratories in Cape Coral, FL, notes, "Odor neutralizers
will work in most circumstances, but
there is a point at which odors are too intense and odor neutralizers
won’t work well, and there is a
need to cover and scrub.."
"Companies now thoroughly analyze odor problems before recommending
systems to control them. As Kent
Kawamoto from Kuma Corporation in Grass Valley, CA, says, companies
"now do diagnostics to figure out
what clients need."
"Solid waste managers implicitly consider odor control from a
cost-benefit point of view. As Planker
notes, "It’s a question of bang for the buck. Say an odor neutralizer
can do 85 percent for x amount of
money and a scrubber can do 95 percent plus for y amount of money,
then it’s up to the client to decide
which technology and level of control to adopt."
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1754G.pdf
States "The key to effective composting is providing adequate oxygen
through good management."
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LEAAdvisory/33/33attch2.htm
'Compost Facility Operating Guide'
" * This is a document prepared by the Composting Council, which
includes information on "best
management practices for odor control". The loose-leaf binder will
give guidance on site design and
operational considerations, such as adequate drainage and moisture
control which help control odors at
composting sites.
* For information regarding this guide, phone or FAX the
Composting Council at the numbers listed
below. The current price for members of the National Composting
Council is $75.00 per copy, and $125.00
per copy for non-members.
o The Composting Council
114 South Pitt Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone # - (703) 739-2401, FAX# - (703) 739- 2407"
http://www.state.ma.us/dep/recycle/files/grassgui.doc.
best management practices for composting grass collected in large
quantities by municipalities
LIVESTOCK & ANIMAL FEEDLOTS:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI7637.html
"Odor control technologies can be thought of in three different
categories, those that reduce the
generation of odors, those that decrease the emission of odors, and
those that increase dilution of
odors. Several of these technologies are listed in Table 3. (See also
the shaded box) Since there is
little known about many of these technologies, the odor management
plan should list one, two, or possibly
three control technologies for each of the high odor sources. If the
first odor control strategy proves
ineffective, then the second or third strategy can be implemented"
http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~epados/swine/manure/statereg.htm
"A broad spectrum of separation distances were noted between the
states with some related to odors,
distances to water sources, and land application scenarios. Size of
operations significantly altered set
back distances in some states but not others. Only Texas and North
Carolina have strict requirements to
control odor problems, with Iowa and Illinois indirectly using BMP's
to control odors. Only these four
states of the 16 surveyed identified specific odor requirements for
livestock."
http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/anafobmp.html
The EPA's Animal Feeding Operations - Best Management Practices (BMPs)
http://www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov/techresources/Technology/AgWaste/CNMP/odormgt.pdf
Livestock Waste Control Facility - Best Management Practices for Odor
Control
http://www.deq.state.ne.us/Publica.nsf/1ddd539d20b2b73986256870007b30a8/eaa688e6c36a12b3862568be005c91aa?OpenDocument
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Best Management Practices
for Odor Control
http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/AE/AQ-2/AQ-2.html
Methods and Practices to Reduce Odor from Swine Facilities
http://sowm.outreach.uiuc.edu/areas/odor/intro.htm
Odor Control and Management
http://www.clemson.edu/peedeerec/certifi/Regs/Reg400.htm#400_80
Odor Control Requirements
http://www.mtcnet.net/~jdhogg/ozone/odor/swineodr.html
Options for Managing Odor (current options
http://www.mtcnet.net/~jdhogg/ozone/odor/swineodr.html#current)
WASTEWATER:
http://www.hazenandsawyer.com/services/services_oc.htm
" Hazen and Sawyer has been among the first to implement multiple
watershed-based applications of
stormwater "Best Management Practices" (BMPs) in the U.S. "
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT:
h2o.enr.state.nc.us/basinwide/ savannah/bmp%20appendix.DOC
Best Management Practices
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/odor_control-biosolids.pdf
Biosolids and Residuals Management fact sheet, Odor control in
Biosolids management.
http://www.state.vt.us/envboard/decisions/wfp/2000/5w0840-6-wfp-dec.htm
"The Project has been planned and designed to control odors.
Components of the odor management plan
include (1) biosolids stabilization prior to shipment of biosolids to
the project, (2) process
optimization to reduce odor generation, (3) treatment of the strongest
odor source and (4) site
selection. "
"Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in compounds such
as cellulose and sugars. Many of
these compounds readily decompose and produce odorous compounds such
as alcohols, esters, aldehydes and
organic acids under anaerobic conditions. As a result, by subjecting
all sludge to anaerobic digestion
prior to delivery to the composting facility, the quantity of
potentially odor causing compounds in the
biosolids will be greatly reduced, as there is a direct relationship
between the oxygen demand of the
biosolids and odor production during composting. "
" Process Optimization involves controlling odors by minimizing odor
generation. By including covered
storage and composting areas, state of the art mixing equipment and
compost aeration systems, potential
odors will be effectively controlled."
"Aeration is provided to maintain aerobic conditions, evaporate
moisture and control temperatures.
Accomplishing this greatly reduces odor generation"
"The biofilter for the proposed Project consists of four-inch
diameter perforated PVC diffuser pipes
embedded in a one-foot layer of gravel. The gravel bed is placed on
top of a PVC liner and beneath a bed
of biofilter media consisting of leaf compost, bark mulch and wood
chips. Exhaust air from the compost
piles is discharged into the gravel bed and up through the biofilter
media."
" The use of the biofilter will not totally eliminate odors.
Biofilters fail if they are too wet or too
dry; the fact that the Project's biofilter is uncovered and outside
may adversely affect its
performance."
Other interesting links:
http://asellus.cee.odu.edu/epctable/epc_common_chemical.html
Common Chemicals Used in Water and Wastewater Unit Processes (lists
Activated carbon for odor control
and Sodium bicarbonate for pH adjustment)
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/tfs/wastemgt.pdf
Envioromental protection agencies checklist for public schools waste
manegment
http://www.epa.gov/appcdwww/iemb/ozone.htm
Ozone-Generating Air Cleaners and Indoor Air Chemistry
