Natural products offer both an effective and healthier way of eliminating odors in the busy areas surrounding a landfill.

By Tina Poljak

 

Garbage stinks—even more so when it attends a family reunion at the local landfill. Strong gases produced by anaerobic digestion in the main landfill typically are the highest source of concern regarding odor emissions and complaints. However, this does not mean smaller-scale garbage smells in and around landfill offices, trucks and sorting areas should be left unchecked. Practically any place where garbage is present will suffer from bad odors from rotting materials. Natural bacteria-based odor controls cannot only check these smells, but are also some of the most effective and biologically efficient products for doing so. Below are some insights into the workings and benefits of waste and odor control treatments like these.

Eliminate Harsh Chemicals

For better or worse, bad odors are easy to smell because of their low molecular weight and low boiling points, which make them more volatile. Traditional chemicals for treating these malodors can be costly and dangerous. Furthermore, they do not biodegrade, meaning that chemical residues remain for 10, 20 or 100 years unless costly measures are taken to destroy them. A superior solution is natural/bacteria-based odor removers that actually modify bad odor molecules, clean the air and biodegrade.

Odor Eating Cycle

These natural odor removers operate by a scientifically accepted mechanism in which beneficial bacteria release enzymes that chop up large odor compounds into smaller ones. These smaller odor packages in turn provide food for the bacteria. Bacteria enzymes continue breaking odors down into smaller and smaller particles that are digested by the bacteria as the process continues. These natural odor eliminators are often combined with biosurfactants that help clean the air. The effectiveness of natural waste remediation continues to be studied and has been reported as highly efficient.1

While other treatments such as essential oils are also made from natural products, they tend to mask bad odors rather than digesting the malodorous molecules at the root of the smell. Bacteria-based products harness the positive digestive abilities of bacteria and enzymes to capture or destroy foul smells. In the end, these bacteria form biodegradable compounds that can be biologically broken down and eventually released into nature as harmless water and carbon dioxide byproducts. If desired, fragrances (apple and pine are favorite customer/user scents) can be added to these products for a fresher scent, but are not essential to removing bad odors.

In order for the previously mentioned odor eating cycle to begin, bacteria-based odor eliminators must be first awakened out of a dormant state. This requires the right pH, temperature, oxygen, nutrients and mixing. The basic equation is: dirt + parameters + bacteria = water and carbon dioxide released into the air. These “parameters” can be added to odor eliminators according to the onsite need and, in some cases, are mixed right into the product.

Benefits of Bacteria

The most positive benefit of using natural bacteria odor eliminators is the replacement of dangerous and damaging chemicals, as mentioned before. On top of being unhealthy and contaminating to the environment, these chemicals often come in aerosol cans which compound environmental risk. In contrast, natural odor control products are water-based, healthy and harmless. When discarded in the environment, they will also dilute the contamination created by other harsh chemicals. As the slogan says, dilution is the solution to pollution. Natural odor control products also make it easier to meet government regulations, which only allow for the release of a certain amount of chemicals. With natural products, this is a non-issue.

In the end, natural products offer both an effective and healthier way of eliminating odors in the busy areas surrounding a landfill. While garbage naturally creates a smell, nature also has built in biological capabilities that can be harnessed to destroy that smell. Nature does things the right way. | WA

Tina Poljak is R&D chemist at Bionetix International (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC), a Cortec Corporation subsidiary that produces bacteria based bioremediation and bioaugmentation products. She holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and D.E.S.S. in Toxicology from the University of Montreal, with membership in the Order of Chemists of Quebec since 1993. Drawing on her combined experience as a biopharmaceutical Research Scientist and a Green Belt SOP Coordinator, Tina plays an active role in the design and management phases at Bionetix. She is a recognized specialist in her area of expertise and can be reached at (514) 457-2914, via e-mail at [email protected] or visit www.bionetix-international.com.

 

Note

Stampar, Dr. Andrija. “Analysis Report by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) on Soil Samples after Treatment with Remediation Agents BCP 35S & Biosurf.” Zagreb Institute of Public Health, 29 Aug. 2014.

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