Odor measuring rod re-establishes equilibrium between living and working in Zaanstad
The food industry in Zaanstad has caused a characteristic odor in the area for many years now. These last few years the municipality has been confronted several times with the question of whether the presence of this smell is appropriate in combination with the construction of new residential buildings.
Companies are unsure whether they will be able to obtain permits due to the spread of odor. In order to bring some clarity to the issue, the municipality of Zaanstad has developed a policy instrument together with Oranjewoud: the odor measuring rod.
Legal security
The odor measuring rod pays specific attention to the legal security of surrounding residents and companies. Communication and compensating measures are also mentioned. Openness is the key factor, ensuring that transparency regarding the situation applies for all those concerned.
The interrelationship of all these components is clarified in a process diagram called the 'odor measuring rod'. This new policy instrument was presented on June 2, 2004, during a special odor convention in the Zaantheater, at which areas of tension between environment, living and working in the region were discussed.
National odor policy
The odor measuring rod allows the municipality of Zaanstad to provide an answer to questions such as what is an acceptable odor level and under what conditions residential construction and corporate development can continue. Prior to integrating the instrument into Zaanstad's odor policy, it will be tested extensively in a number of locations.
These tests began recently. The municipality of Zaanstad has given shape to the authority to expand the national odor policy by developing this odor measuring rod. Zaanstad receives a subsidy in this respect from the Steering Group Experiments in Housing (SEV) as part of the knowledge program of the IPSV (Innovation Program for Urban Renewal) of VROM - the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment.
Broad application potential
A sounding board group provided constructive and critical reflections for the municipality of Zaanstad during the development of the odor measuring rod. This sounding board included representatives from IPO - Association of Provincial Authorities -, VNG – Association of Netherlands Municipalities -, VROM, the private sector and residents of the region and other municipalities and provinces. The odor measuring rod has initially been developed for the municipality of Zaanstad, but it is a policy instrument that can be widely applied and thus may be adapted for use in other regions.
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