For a thermal waste recycling plant no odour emission data were available. ► The emission rate was assessed by an inverse dispersion technique using a Gaussian model. ► Seven chemical species (butyl acetate, benzene, ethyl acetate, toluene, m/p-xylene, o-xylene and α-pinene) were identified as odorants. ► By using the odour threshold concentration, the odour emission rates were determined between 206 and 8950 OU s−1.