Odor Control in the Cannabis Industry: Lessons from the New Kid on the Block

Seltenrich, Nate

doi:10.1289/ehp11449

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…More than 150 individual terpenes have been identified in cannabis, with the key contributors to the distinctive odor including myrcene (earthy), limonene (citrusy), terpinolene (woody), and pinene (grassy). 38 Reported airborne terpene concentrations in cannabis cultivation facilities range widely, from a low of approximately 20 parts per billion (ppb) to a high of approximately 3,500 ppb. 39,40 While these measurements exceed the European Commission recommendations for overall indoor terpene concentrations (40-400 ppb), individual terpene components are generally below regulatory standards.…”

Section: Volatile Organic Compounds and Other Irritant Gasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Emerging Spectrum of Respiratory Diseases in the U.S. Cannabis Industry

Sack

Simpson

Pacheco

2023

Semin Respir Crit Care Med

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While the cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing job markets in the United States and globally, relatively little is known about the occupational hazards that cannabis production workers face. Based on the closely related hemp industry and preliminary studies from recreational cannabis grow facilities, there is concern for significant respiratory exposures to bioaerosols containing microbial and plant allergens, chemicals such as pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and other irritant gases. Components of the cannabis plant have also recently been identified as allergenic and capable of inducing an immunoglobulin E-mediated response. Accumulating evidence indicates a spectrum of work-related respiratory diseases, particularly asthma and other allergic diseases. Disentangling causal relationships is difficult given the heterogeneity of mixed exposures, diagnostic challenges, and confounding by personal cannabis use. Despite and because of these uncertainties, better regulatory guidance and exposure controls need to be defined in order to reduce the risk of work-related disease.

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Section: Volatile Organic Compounds and Other Irritant Gasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Emerging Spectrum of Respiratory Diseases in the U.S. Cannabis Industry

Sack

Simpson

Pacheco

2023

Semin Respir Crit Care Med

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“…However, odors themselves are typically seen as only a nuisance issue [1]. This limited focus has restricted odor exposure research to a mostly local regulatory context, in contrast to other dimensions of air quality [4,12,13]. However, odor experiences are increasingly recognized to be an important component of cumulative environmental stressors, linked to community health and well-being, and in some cases, indicators of other environmental pollutant exposures [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Odor, air quality, and well-being: understanding the urban smellscape using crowd-sourced science

Bhandari,

de Ferreyro Monticelli,

Xie

et al. 2024

Environ. Res.: Health

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Odors are a topic of emerging environmental health interest given their potential links to air quality, health, well-being, and quality of life. However, odors have traditionally been challenging to study given variability in individual sensitivity and perception, atmospheric physico-chemical processes, and emissions of mixtures of odorous contaminants. Here, we explore the potential utility of crowd-sourced odor report data in improving understanding of spatiotemporal patterns of odor experiences and their impacts. We conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses of a 12-month data set from a web application collecting crowd-sourced odor reports, including spatiotemporal information, odor and self-reported impacts description (OSAC: odors, symptoms, actions in response, and suspected causes), and demographics, in Vancouver, Canada. Users report diverse OSAC with strong seasonality and spatial variability. Reported symptoms, ranging from neurological to emotion- and mood-related, highlight the complexity of odor-related health and well-being impacts. Odors can trigger maladaptive actions, where individuals are exposed to other environmental stressors (e.g., heat stress) or curtail healthy behaviors (e.g., exercising outside) to cope with odor impacts. Clustering analysis of OSAC suggests that odor exposures may be linked to health, well-being, and quality of life impacts through complex mechanisms, related not only to the odor experienced but also perceived causes. Spatiotemporal patterns in reports highlight the potential influence of persistent sources (e.g., waste management) and transient events (e.g., accidents). Exploratory multiple linear regression models suggest that monitoring of air quality and meteorology may be insufficient to capture odor issues. Overall, these results suggest that crowd-sourced science incorporating self-reported health and well-being effects and behavioral responses can enrich understanding of the impacts of odorous emissions at large spatiotemporal scales and complement traditional air pollution monitoring.

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“…1 This limited focus has restricted odor exposure research to a mostly local regulatory context, much in contrast to other dimensions of air quality. 4,12,13 However, odor experiences are increasingly recognized to be an important component of cumulative environmental stressors, linked to community health and well-being, and in some cases, indicators of other environmental pollutant exposures. 14 As far back as the 1 st century BCE, people believed there were links between odor and health through the miasma theory of disease transmission: "the poisonous breath of creatures...to be wafted into the bodies of the inhabitants...will make the site unhealthy".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Odor, Air Quality, and Well-Being: Understanding the Urban Smellscape Using Crowd-sourced Science, Monitoring, and Modeling

Bhandari

Monticelli

Ramkairsingh

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Odor exposure can adversely impact health and quality of life. It is challenging to study odors and their effects due to variability in individual sensitivity and perception, atmospheric physico-chemical processes, and emissions of mixtures of odorous contaminants. Here, we conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses of a 12-month data set from a web application collecting crowd-sourced odor reports, including spatiotemporal information, odor and self-reported impacts description (OSAC: odors, symptoms, actions in response, and potential causes), and demographics, in Vancouver, Canada. Spatiotemporal patterns highlight the influence of persistent sources (e.g., waste management) and transient events (e.g., accidents). Multiple linear regression models suggest that meteorological ventilation and air pollutants account for 60% of the variance in daily odor report counts. Users report diverse OSAC with strong seasonality and spatial variability. Reported symptoms, ranging from neurological to emotion-and mood-related, highlight the complexity of odor-related well-being impacts. Odors can trigger maladaptive behavior, where individuals are exposed to other environmental stressors (e.g., heat stress) or engage in risky behaviors to avoid or cope with odor impacts. Results from this project provide evidence that human-centered approaches can enrich understanding of the impacts of odorous emissions on health and well-being.

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Odor Control in the Cannabis Industry: Lessons from the New Kid on the Block

Cited by 3 publications

References 33 publications

The Emerging Spectrum of Respiratory Diseases in the U.S. Cannabis Industry

The Emerging Spectrum of Respiratory Diseases in the U.S. Cannabis Industry

Odor, air quality, and well-being: understanding the urban smellscape using crowd-sourced science

Odor, Air Quality, and Well-Being: Understanding the Urban Smellscape Using Crowd-sourced Science, Monitoring, and Modeling

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