Extension of odor impact assessments beyond nuisance evaluations and the dilution-to-threshold principle

Current odor impact assessment methods based on statutory nuisance laws or the dilution-to-threshold principle are unsatisfactory. The Odor Impact Model (OIM) represents a significant improvement on current methods for quantifying odors by incorporating the persistence and offensiveness of an odor into estimates of the impact of odorous emissions on surrounding connnunities. This allows odors to be judged not only in terms of the quantity of the emission but also, just as importantly, its quality. Dispersion modeling can be used in conjunction with the OIM to estimate the impact of an odor on the surrounding community by providing a measure of the fraction of the population who will be exposed to the odor and their corresponding degree of annoyance