Stories

Thu, 15 Oct 2026

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 Living with a stink? Technology might help

Smells from rubbish dumps and industrial facilities are being more carefully monitored.

* Operators of Newby Island landfill in California have been ordered to use drones and install monitors to track and measure chemicals causing bad odours.
* They must also automate collection of landfill gases responsible for smells.
* Resident Chia-Ling Kong says she hopes a data-driven approach will make a difference, allowing them to pinpoint problems early on.
* The operators say they are committed to operating the landfill safely and protecting air quality.
* Communities around the world are raising concerns about bad smells, with many countries lacking regulations on odour management.
* Urban sprawl brings communities closer to stinky facilities that were once kept at a distance.
* Technologies used to tackle industrial pongs generally fall into three categories: absorption, chemical conversion, or burning.
* Experts say the best technologies can remove 90% or more of target compounds responsible for smells, but can be expensive and not always effective.
* Some operators use cheaper solutions like spraying deodorisers, which odour experts say are unlikely to change odours.
* Bad smells from waste sites are among the most difficult to resolve due to their size and complexity.
* A city in Iowa has installed "electronic noses" to pinpoint bad smells, ending finger-pointing about who is responsible for complaints.