Sewage plants can smell sweeter thanks to a treatment developed by IBS
Viridian of Kent. It cuts the smell of hydrogen sulphide—the
characteristic stench of rotten eggs that is so offensive to people living near
sewage farms. A six-week trial carried out for West of Scotland Water found that
the company’s proprietary bacterial treatment, called VPHS, cuts the production
of hydrogen sulphide in sewage sludge by 90 per cent.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Life
Stunning photos reveal the intricate beauty of fungi
Regulars
Comment
Do you want your underwear with added probiotics?
Regulars
Environment
Can climate change stay in the news agenda after Europe's heatwave?
Leader
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
New Scientist recommends an unsettling deep dive into forensic science
Culture
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second
2
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
3
Babies are born with the neural foundations for maths
4
The weirdness of neutrinos could completely rewrite particle physics
5
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
6
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far – plus 6 other great reads
7
A type of fibre that stimulates GLP-1 release approved for use in food
8
The best new science-fiction novels published in July 2026
9
I’m the first person whose life was saved by CRISPR base editing
10
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
