Determining tolerance to odour annoyance in communities near hog operations

La, A., Q. Zhang and Z. Gao. 2014. Determining tolerance to odour annoyance in communities near hog operations. Canadian Biosystems Engineering/Le génie des biosystèmes au Canada 56: 6.1-6.11. Quantifying the impact of odour from livestock facilities has been a challenge to researchers and environmental regulators. Physical and sensory odour attributes are commonly used to define the odour impact. However, people’s responses (tolerances) to odour may be affected by many other nonphysical factors. The objective of this study was to determine odour impact in broader scopes and domains by considering such factors as quality of life and community values. Face-to-face survey interviews were conducted in five communities to assess the residents’ responses to odour from hog operations. Based on the interview data, odour annoyance to residents was quantified and their tolerance to odour was determined. It was found that the annoyance at hog odour was greater than at other odour sources. Some residents (13%) would not tolerate hog odour even if they indicated that they were not annoyed by odour. On the opposite side, about 13% of residents would tolerate hog odour even if they indicated the highest annoyance level (10). Residents living in the rural areas were more tolerant of hog odour if the odour sources (hog operations) had previously been in existence. Very few (<1%) residents identified hog odour as the cause of headaches, waking up at night, and nausea. Five percent of residents indicated that their outdoor enjoyment was disrupted by odour, but only rarely or sometimes.