Recently the development of odour measurement, regulation and control techniques has made great progress, with new and updated standards and regulations for odour control and measurement in Europe and Australasia; in the United States, odour was listed as one of the key areas for action by the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. In these circumstances, it is clear that a uniform systematic approach to quantifying and solving odour problems worldwide is highly desirable. This motivated the 1st IWA International Conference on Odours and VOCs, with its focus on ?measurement, regulation and control techniques?. The conference emphasised the need to standardise the approaches to odour measurement, to quantify odour impact from various emission sources for regulatory purposes, and to devise ways of alleviating odour impact on local communities. These subjects are of concern nationally and internationally because of the decreasing tolerance to such impacts by local communities and the current lack of effective solutions. From the papers presented 42 have been selected for these proceedings, dealing with olfactometry; field observation and sampling; odour regulations; physical treatment; odour dispersion modelling; volatilisation models; animal farming odours; manure treatment; biofilters; odour control for anaerobic ponds; and H2S removal. They represent the latest work of leading experts from European, Asian, North American, Australian and New Zealand universities, agencies and organisations and will prove a major resource for all interested in the research and practice of odour measurement and control.

The purpose of the symposium was to present recent advances in characterization and control of odour and volatile organic compound emissions in the atmosphere, and to contribute to the state-of-the-art of measurement and sampling tools, impact prediction methods and abatement techniques. Topics covered were:Legislative aspectsEmission characterizationAbatement technologies, both recuperative and destructive andReduction methods.Apart from the global problems of climate, all aspects relating to the workplace environment and official regulations were discussed.

The purpose of the symposium was to present recent advances in characterization and control of odour and volatile organic compound emissions in the atmosphere, and to contribute to the state-of-the-art of measurement and sampling tools, impact prediction methods and abatement techniques. Topics covered were:Legislative aspectsEmission characterizationAbatement technologies, both recuperative and destructive andReduction methods. Apart from the global problems of climate, all aspects relating to the workplace environment and official regulations were discussed.