Cities in California and Iowa are using sensors, drones and other tools to track industrial smells more precisely. Officials say the technology can help identify sources and reduce complaints.
01Summary
- 01Residents in Milpitas, California, have complained for years about smells from industrial sites, including the 342-acre Newby Island landfill.
- 02Local authorities have ordered the landfill operators to use drones, install monitors and automate gas collection to track odours.
- 03In Des Moines, Iowa, officials are spending about $240,000 (£182,000) a year on odour-monitoring technology around suspected sources.
- 04Smithfield Foods says it has invested $2m in a regenerative thermal oxidiser to destroy chemicals linked to bad smells.
- 05Experts say the best odour-control technologies can remove 90% or more of the target compounds, but many countries do not regulate environmental odours.
02Why it matters
The story shows how communities are using data and sensors to deal with pollution that affects daily life. It also highlights a growing market for odour-monitoring and control technology.
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