As a public service, EHCMA has developed the Odor Network to address citizen and industry concerns about odors in east Harris County, regardless of the source.  The network is a voluntary effort by local industry to help companies identify and eliminate industrial odor sources, and to provide citizens and industry with an immediate means of alerting companies of odor complaints in their area.

The CAER Line (281-476-2237) will serve as the public's gateway to report an odor to the Odor Network.  The CAER Line provides one phone number for the public, industry, and media to remember.  Callers to the CAER Line can quickly reach the Odor Network by pressing 2 from the Main Menu.

EHCMA does not intend for this program to replace or interfere with the proper regulatory reporting of spills and releases.  Citizens may also choose to report odors directly to appropriate agencies.  EHCMA will forward all citizen odor complaints to the Harris County Environmental Public Health Division (phone: 713-920-2831 or fax: 713-477-8963).

OVERVIEW

The Odor Network is divided according to the seven EHCMA Outreach Areas.  Because of size, some areas may be sub-divided into geographic zones bounded by major streets to help identify where the odor was detected.

Within each Outreach Area or Zone, an EHCMA member facility has volunteered to serve as a 24-hour Dispatch Center.  The Dispatch Center will document any Odor Report, then contact nearby EHCMA member facilities by phone or fax, and try to identify the source of the odor within the next two hours.  The Dispatch Center may obtain wind/weather data and send plant personnel to the location to investigate the odor.

Thanks to the following EHCMA members for volunteering to serve as 24-hour Dispatch Centers:

If the odor source is identified, the source causing the odor will be asked to callback the Caller(s) who reported the odor, put an Odor Message on the CAER Line explaining the odor release, and notify appropriate regulatory agencies of any reportable release.

If the odor source is NOT identified (or is NOT an industrial source), the Dispatch Center will callback the Caller(s) who reported the odor, explain that the odor was investigated, but that the source was not found, and thank the Caller for his/her concern.

COMPREHENSIVE ODOR DRILLS

Each EHCMA member plant is required to participate in at least two Odor Network drills per year with neighboring Outreach Areas.  The drills will be scheduled on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:00 am.  The purpose of these drills is to test the Odor Network's communications equipment and ensure that plant personnel understand how odor investigations involving more than one Outreach Area should be conducted.  Drill results are reported to the EHCMA Board of Directors.  

EHCMA member plants can obtain a copy of the "Comprehensive Odor Drill Guidelines" and Drill Schedule from the Members Only webpage.   

QUESTIONS?

For more information, contact the chairman of EHCMA's Odor Network Committee by clicking on the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page.