Generally, most regulatory organizations/municipal authorities resort to nuisance prevention law to abate odour, but it is being followed more in breach than in practice. Perhaps the most effective method of overcoming the problem is to have regulation, which can be directed towards specific emissions from specific industries. For example, regulation of pulp mills odours which limits emission of mercaptans.

The development of odour measurement, regulation and control technique has been greatly progressed in most of the countries. In Australia, several states are reviewing the existing regulations on the control of odour from various source based on a forthcoming Australian–New–Zealand standard of odour measurement using dynamic olfactomerty. In Europe, the official standard for odour measurement is expected to be published in 2002.

In the USA, odour has been listed as one of the key area to be dealt with the Agriculture Air Quality Task Force. There are some State regulations in the US to address the odour from some specific sources. In Minnesota, the Feedlot Hydrogen Sulfide Program administered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is in vougue since July 1997. The hydrogen sulfide standard works in the following way: each gas sample represents an average value of the gas over a continuous 30-minute period. A violation occurs if the hydrogen sulfide ambient air quality exceeds 30 and 50 ppb within certain time period. Iowa’s "manure law" was enacted in 1995, to create a system of setback distances for lagoons and buildings, depending on the nature of the surrounding area. Also Iowa Department of Natural Resources has proposed new regulations for swine producers, which require manure injection rather than spreading.

There are more activities in in addressing gaseous and odour problems from large-scale swine facilities. Europe has focussed on two primary areas of concern – nitrogen emissions and odour prevention. The Netherlands has "an extremely strict approach" for regulating nitrogen emissions. By 2010, farmers must reduce their emissions by 70 % of 1980 levels, with an assumption that a 10 % reduction rate in ammonia emissions will result in a 7 % reduction of odour. In Denmark, odour laws were established during 1950 to 1980. These laws required ventilation chimneys and setback distances from houses. By the end of 1980s, it was felt that the general code of good agricultural practice had not reduced odour to acceptable levels. The Ministry of Environment then imposed restrictions on the construction and location of manure storage and swine buildings, as well as on the land application of manure. Germany focuses more on managing nutrients than on paying specific attention to ammonia odour emissions. The Fertilizer Ordinance enacted in July, 1996, requires manure to be worked into non-tilled soils immediately after application. Producers have to send records of both manure storage and cropland application to the government. There are strict controls on lagoons as well – they must be lined, covered and equipped with underground pipes for the detection of leaks.

In India, Schedule II and Schedule VI (General standards for discharge of effluents) under Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986 prescribes that all efforts shall be made to remove unpleasant odour as far as practicable. Nonetheless, there are only two industries, wherein industry specific standards under Schedule I of these Rules mandate odour removal. These are the fermentation industries and the natural rubber industries. The standards for many other major odour pollution causing industries such as pulp and paper mills, tanneries, meat processing industries, bulk drug and pharmaceutical units, food and fruit processing units, dairies and milk plants etc. do not specify odour control.