Odours
Smells and odours may be emitted from agricultural or industrial processes, for example the spreading of sewage on fields,
or paint spraying, or from simple domestic activities such as the keeping of pets.
If you are troubled by unwanted smells then contact our Environmental Protection Team, the Officers will call and assess
the causes and extent of the problem. In most cases they will be able to identify the source and help reduce or eliminate
its impact.
Anything with a strong smell that lasts a long while can cause discomfort and may be considered an odour nuisance. It doesn't
have to be a "bad" smell- a normally "pleasant" odour may become unacceptable if the duration or frequency
of exposure increases.
For a statutory nuisance to occur, a nuisance has to interfere materially with the well being of the residents, even though
it may not be predjudicial to health.
The following will be considered when investigating an alleged statutory odour nuisance:
- the nature of the smell
- the duration and frequency of the occurence
- the effects on residents
- the available remedies
All suspected statutory nuisance scenarios from commercial premises are likely to be investigated by an Environmental
Protection Officer to identify the source of the odour and witness the extent of the emission.
It is sometimes not possible to completely remove all odours- those emanating from restaurants for example- but through
best practice emissions may be reduced. If the origin of the odour is found to be already operating best practice methods,
then the Local Authority has the remit to enforce change.
Kitchen Extraction Units
Emissions from cooking activities can give rise to odour problems if not dealt with effectively. The degree of odour will
be affected by the type of food being prepared and the ability of fumes to be dispersed. In general the following should minimise
odour nuisance occuring;
Release from a kitchen extraction unit should be through a duct which is 1m above the height of the eaves. The flue terminal
should ideally be positioned upright without a cap. The efflux velocity should be 8m/s. Absorption onto activated carbon filters
is recommended for fume temperatured below 40 degrees centigrade.
