Odour Nuisance

Odours can become a serious problem if not controlled, potentially causing disamenity, annoyance and nuisance. It can also effect peoples health both physically and mentally. A single event can lead to someone making a complaint, or it can be due to concerns over odour exposure that has been experienced over a much longer period of time, leading to the incremental development of annoyance. Once someone reaches the point of annoyance, they may then start to complain about odours that would not normally bother other members of the population. However, a lack of complaints does not necessarily prove there is no annoyance or nuisance, or loss of amenity.

Where there is sufficient evidence of a nuisance, a local authority may declare a Statutory Nuisance and require the operations causing the odour issues to take action to control or abate their odours. This can also be achieved through independent litigation.

Odour Consultants (ODC) have experience of nuisance issues from a diverse range of sources and can help evidence odour nuisances using a variety of methods. Some of the key nuisance sources are set out below. Our team can undertake surveys, assessments and provide expert witness services.