Odour emission factors for assessment and prediction of Italian MSW landfills odour impact

Among the human activities that may generate problems related to unpleasant odour emissions, landfills represent one of the major causes of odour complaints. In this study, the results of odour concentration measurements sampled from the principal odour sources of seven different and dimensionally representative Italian Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills are presented. Experimental data are then used to estimate an Odour Emission Factor (OEF). The average OEF is calculated to be 5.5±3.4 ouE s−1 m−2. This value is consistent with the OEFs that can be calculated based on existing literature data, such as surface flux rates relevant to the Landfill Gas (LFG) emissions through the landfill surface.