Italian Town Seeks 'Nose' for Smelly Air

Brendola, a town in Italy's Vicenza province, is launching a unique recruitment drive for six 'odor evaluators.' This initiative aims to address complaints from residents about unpleasant smells emanating from industrial zones. The recruited sniffers will play a crucial role in identifying and recording various odors through a specialized app.

Candidates for this paid position must not suffer from allergies or respiratory ailments and should own a car for easier access to targeted areas. They will receive training from an expert firm to distinguish between smells from factories, industrial waste, or sewage. This sensory assessment will help trace the origin of the pollution.

The project, expected to last six months, is a proactive measure to tackle air quality issues in the Po valley, an area known for its high pollution levels. Mayor Bruno Beltrame highlighted that a similar effort five years ago successfully identified polluting companies. This renewed investigation seeks to determine if those same companies have resumed emitting odors or if new polluters have emerged.

Brendola, home to about 4,000 residents, has seen an increase in environmental awareness. Citizens are encouraged to report environmental issues, enabling swift intervention by authorities. Initially, the job advertisement received no responses before the holidays, but a recent reposting on Facebook attracted about a dozen interested applicants, mostly university students.