Composting System Odor Control Study

Allan Finney, Envron Environmental Ltd. designed and installed the mushroom odor control composting system at Greenwood Mushroom Farm in 2003 after an odor panel test on an earlier Envron system conducted with the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture. The final system report was conducted by G. Duns, Ph.D. A link to the full report is provided here:

Test of Odour Control System using Ozone on a
Commercial Scale Mushroom Farm
AAC Project 8519-1

Final Report

January 2004

Conclusions of Study

"Overall, the ozonation system installed at Greenwood Mushroom Farm can control the emission of odour compounds. Chemical analysis of samples of mushroom substrate gases taken before and after contact with ozone indicated that levels of odorous sulfur compounds were reduced in the range 20-60% by the ozonation. The extent of this reduction appears dependent on the operating conditions of the bunker. Operation of the aeration fan, for example, tends to increase the volume of gases and odorous compounds entering the treatment system, thereby lowering the efficacy of the treatment system. Increasing the amount of ozone entering the treatment system in certain cases appears to increase the extent of reduction of reduced sulfur compounds. Further research should be undertaken to enhance understanding of this ozonation odour control system and to optimize operational conditions to increase overall reduction of odorous compounds from the compost emissions.
The present study has utilized chemical analysis to test the efficacy of ozonation as a viable means of odour control. The ultimate evaluation of any system for controlling or reducing odours is performed using a combination of chemical analysis and organoleptic or odour panel assessments of the odours (Dorling, 1977; Duns et al., 2003). Relating results from chemical analysis to odour panel measurements converted to odour units is ideally the most informative way to quantitatively relate constituent odour target compounds to human assessment of odours....."

G. Duns, Ph.D.
AirChem Consulting and Research Inc.
3268 Stonebrook Rd.
Bright's Grove, Ontario NON 1C0

Project Co-Ordinator:

William Stevens Ph.D.
Canadian Mushroom Growers Association
7666 Mill Rd.
Guelph, Ontario NiH 6J1
Tel. (519) 829-4125 Fax (519) 837-0729

Funded by:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
& Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food