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Average Noses on Call?

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council has a new way of sniffing out problems. Following odour sensitivity testing, it has found 31 people with "average noses" to be part of a team to assess odour complaints in the community.

"We are pleased that people were willing to volunteer their time to help their community in this way," says environmental scientist Katherine Hughes. "Although we have staff experienced in assessing smells, there are only a few of us, and the public panel will help us by providing a broader range of opinion to assess unpleasant smells so that complaints can be responded to more quickly and more accurately."

Average noses were assessed as having a detection threshold for n-butanol, the standard gas used in the testing equipment, in the range of 20-80 parts per billion by volume of air (ppb/v). This detection range means that a person is neither insensitive or very sensitive and is therefore useful for resource investigations.

"We have given everyone tested their results, so that even the unsuccessful candidates can have the satisfaction of telling their friends that they are either too sensitive, or simply aren't bothered enough by smells, " says Hughes.