City Scent-Reporting Apps

'Smell PGH' is a city scent-reporting app that's attempting to provide metropolitan areas with a little relief.

The smell of a skunk or a passing garbage truck is only temporary, but what about those unshakable smells that linger for a little too long? Assuming bad smells come with the territory of city-living is a common but dangerous misconception that this app aims to change. App users are invited to report any troubling scents they encounter, rating it on a scale of one to five with the option to describe the smell, if possible. Authorities will then track these reports, searching for smells that sound more sinister: like sulfur or other toxic chemicals.

This app provides users with the opportunity to report a potentially dangerous smell semi-anonymously, increasing the amount of reports while subsequently increasing the chance of preventing a public health risk.