"Leave Your Odor Complaints to Us"... Japan's "Odor Assessors" [New Jobs]

'Odor Assessors' in Japan:
Certified Experts Who Identify and Eliminate the Source of Bad Smells
Japan's Offensive Odor Control Efforts
Started 30 Years Ahead of Korea

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The city is a collection of countless smells. There are scents from homes and restaurants, but industrial complexes and landfill sites can also emit foul odors. There is always a risk of unpleasant smells leaking through the pipes and underground sewers connected throughout the city. Japan recognized odors as a type of pollution as early as half a century ago, and has devoted national resources to managing and eliminating them.

'Odor Assessors' Who Detect and Eliminate the Source of Bad Smells

Modern cities are surrounded by facilities emitting all kinds of foul odors.
[Image source=Pixabay]

In Japan, there is a nationally certified qualification called "Odor Assessor." This system was established based on the "Offensive Odor Control Law" enacted in 1971. Odor Assessors are experts who identify the sources of unpleasant smells in a wide range of environments, from urban areas to industrial facilities.

The sources of bad odors are diverse and complex, as there are many places suspected of causing them, such as sewers, drainage pipes, and industrial facilities. For this reason, Odor Assessors must possess in-depth knowledge of various chemical substances that generate odors, as well as the courage and strong constitution to directly sniff dirty pipes and waste.

Due to these strict requirements, only 3,252 people in Japan had obtained this qualification as of 2016. Furthermore, the exam is known to be highly challenging, with 80% of applicants failing each year.

According to the official website of the Odor Assessors Association, they handle as many as 12,000 odor-related complaints annually. They are mainly subcontracted by local governments, factories, and business sites to analyze the intensity and source of odors.

Japan's Odor Reduction Efforts Began 30 Years Ahead of Korea

Japan has long been taking measures to reduce odors from pig farms, including manure management. Photo is not related to any specific expression in the article.

Japan began recognizing odors as pollution and started concrete efforts to control them in 1971. Considering that Korea's Offensive Odor Control Law was first enacted in 2004, Japan was 33 years ahead.

The Japanese government not only worked to reduce odors, but also analyzed and quantified the intensity of unpleasant smells produced by specific chemical substances. These research results have become valuable resources for odor assessment work nationwide.

These efforts have recently produced remarkable results. According to data from the Japan Odor and Fragrance Association, odor-related complaints in Japan have been steadily declining since 2003.

Odors can also be the starting point of social conflict. Landfills and livestock farms are often stigmatized as "undesirable facilities" by some urban residents, and the root cause is ultimately the odors. In fact, odor-related disputes are increasingly becoming a significant issue in Korea as well. Perhaps it will not be long before "odor experts" become popular in Korea too.