If a facility feels it is losing public acceptance, it should not delay in moving toward an EMS approach. It should also communicate that it is doing so to receive full credit in the court of public opinion. The planning component specifies the methods and procedures designed to maximize environmental performance. Then, in late spring, the operation has odor complaints. The regulating agency steps in and reviews the complaints, the facility's response, and other factors.
Regulatory officials meet with the operators to explore the cause.
The alleged cause of increased odor complaints is an increase in the proportion of grass in the incoming feedstocks. The agency believes the EMS should be revised to compensate for this increased grass proportion. The two parties come to consensus on a new set of performance targets for the weeks when grass increases above an agreed upon percentage. These targets might include increased porosity and carbon in the preparation of process feedstock to help compensate for the rapid oxygen demand caused by decomposing grass. Porosity and carbon are just two examples of quantitative measures of the composting process.