Thailand Public Health Provision For Off-site Odor Emissions

The Nasal Ranger has been instrumental in determining a reference value for odor nuisance investigations in response to odor complaints in Thailand. In May 2020, the Journal of Health Research, published by Emerald Publishing Limited, published the article “Odor Intolerance and proposed off-site limit under the Thailand public health provision” (Hirunrueng, Patthanaissarnukool, Sihabut). The article summarizes research aimed to “to determine objectionable odor concentrations which would urge Thais to register a complaint”.

In addition to applying the four FIDO (Frequency, Intensity, Duration, and Offensiveness) factors, data was collected using the Nasal Ranger field olfactometer to quantify odor strength. The Nasal Ranger quantifies odor concentration in terms of dilution to threshold (D/T) by diluting odorous air with cartridge-filtered, odor-free air.

In conjunction with community response data, including odor characteristics and Hedonic tone, an odor concentration of 4D/T measured with the Nasal Ranger “tended to be or would be considered objectionable”. The study supports the proposition that under the Thai Public Health Act, the odor concentration of 4D/T should be established as an off -site reference value for odor complaints.

The Nasal Ranger has proven to be an effective tool for communities experiencing odor nuisance. While the D/T limits vary from location to location, regulatory agencies have found the benefits of an instrument that collects quantifiable data useful in addressing public concerns while establishing objective criteria for facility compliance.

St. Croix Sensory is proud to partner with Odosys Services for Nasal Ranger distribution in Southeast Asia, including Selangor and Malaysia.

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