ODOR EMISSIONS OF WASTE-WATER TREATMENT PLANTS - RECENT GERMAN EXPERIENCES

Odorous emissions from wastewater treatment plants can cause serious a nnoyance in the vicinity. According to recently issued federal regulat ions, when designing new WWTPs or expanding existing ones, expert opin ion has to be taken into account. Also problems arise with existing pl ants thar have to be solved. It is necessary to understand the basics of odour and odour-related annoyance as well as the use of appropriate measurement technique in order to describe the problem correctly. The n problems can be detected and solved properly by using appropriate me asures. There are many measures to be taken against odour emissions, d epending upon the type of plant, process design, way of operation and others. If, however, these measures are not able to guarantee a suffic ient emission level, then collection of waste air and subsequent deodo rization must be chosen to solve the problem. Different technologies f or deodorization are known today, and available data concerning these techniques at Germany's wastewater treatment plants are shown later. A mong the possible technologies developed in recent years biological me thods are gaining more and more attention, as they are efficient, cost -effective and environment-friendly.