Olores.org Newsletter July 2024

   The Directive 2010/75/EU (Industrial Emissions Directive - IED) was the main EU instrument regulating pollutant emissions from industry. This IED has been revised and a new proposal was adopted by the Parliament on 12 March 2024 and by the Council on 12 April 2024. The new Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive 2024/1785, also called IED 2.0 is already published in the EU Official Journal and it comes with some provisions regarding odour impact.

   Some time ago we read in a revision of the Commision that the "olfactory pollution would be covered". Is this finally correct? let's find out.

   InterCinD, a specialized division of Lab Service Analytica Srl, has announced the opening of registrations for this year's Proficiency Test (PT) for Olfactometry, adhering to the new EN 13725:2022 standard. This annual event invites all European olfactometric laboratories to participate and confirm their compliance with the latest performance criteria. This is one of the PT and is an alternative to the well known olfasense PT.

   Proficiency tests (PT) are key to ensure a laboratory's compliance with EN 13725:2022. and join this proficiency test to benchmark your performance in olfactometry.

   Olfasense, a leading company in odour and emission measurement, is inviting laboratories worldwide to participate in its 2024 proficiency tests. These tests offer a unique opportunity for laboratories to demonstrate compliance with international performance standards and compare their results with peers globally. The proficiency tests cover volatile organic compounds (VOC), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC), and odour assessments for both building products and automotive materials. This initiative is a collaborative effort between Olfasense and the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM).

   The proficiency tests for building products focus on VOC and SVOC emissions and odour assessments using emission test chambers. Laboratories can register for three independent parts of the test: the emission test chamber method (ISO 16000-6/9 and EN 16516), odour assessment (ISO 16000-28), and an analysis check using transfer standard tubes. These tests will be conducted in November and December 2024, with a registration deadline set for 9 August 2024. Participating laboratories will benefit from a detailed evaluation of their performance, helping them ensure compliance with stringent industry standards.

   The latest version of the GRAL dispersion model, 24.04, has been released and it includes several updates and bug fixes. GRAL, a Lagrangian dispersion model, is extensively used for simulating pollutant dispersion, and these updates are expected to enhance its reliability in various environmental scenarios.

   A significant fix in version 24.04 addresses an issue that caused incorrect concentration calculations within buildings. This bug, present since version 23.11, affected flat terrain and certain building configurations. Correcting this issue ensures that GRAL can provide more accurate simulations in urban settings where building interactions play an important role.