VIU to Monitor Odours at FCPCC

The RDN has partnered with the VIU Applied Environmental Research Laboratories to implement a state of the art odour monitoring program to fingerprint French Creek Pollution Control Centre’s current odour emissions.

This monitoring program will:

• Use mobile mass spectrometry instrumentation to analyze molecular fingerprints associated with specific odour-producing substances
• Map chemical concentrations of a set of target compound classes including reduced sulfur compounds, amines, hydrocarbons and volatile fatty acids. Mapping will be done both at the French Creek Pollution Control Centre and in the surrounding neighborhood
• Analyse the odourants associated with human activities and natural sources including wastewater treatment, green waste production, agriculture, as well as natural marine and freshwater sources
• Assess the seasonal variability in odour sources and regional distributions
• Recommend potential odour control measures.

The proposed monitoring program will start in March 2019 and run for a year with multi-day sampling campaigns in spring, summer, fall and winter. Program results will inform the design of the upgrades and produce recommendations to improve air quality, reduce odour complaints related to FCPCC, and enhance the overall quality of life for neighbouring residents and visitors.