Stack Emission Notification

General

Over the last 12 to 18 months, INAB has held a number of development meetings with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to review a number of options available to it in developing acceptable competence requirements for organisation providing stack emission testing.  The EPA concluded that to ensure that the monitoring of process emissions is performed correctly it needed to be carried out by third party verifiable accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025).  

For those organisations undertaking this monitoring (emission measurements), the EPA will require them to be accredited by 2014.   The assessment for accreditation to ISO /IEC 17025 will be carried out in conjunction with CEN/TS 15675:2007 “Air quality – Measurement of stationary source emission”.

The EPA’s documents, AG1 and AG2 will be also part of the assessment criteria.

Proficiency Testing (PT) Requirements 

Prior to award of accreditation, the laboratory will have to demonstrate satisfactory performance in three strands of PT, organised at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the UK as:

NPL organises three proficiency testing (PT) schemes in the stack emissions measurement area: Particulate, Gas Measurement and Calibration Gas. The Particulate scheme is run annually with test items sent to participants. The Gas Measurement and Calibration Gas schemes are run bi-annually with measurements conducted at NPL.

• The aim of the Particulate stack emissions proficiency testing scheme is to assess performance with the weighing of foil shims and simulated particulate test probe wash. Foil shims are provided with known masses traceable to national standards. The standard deviation for proficiency testing is set from consideration of previous round results and with due consideration to relevant directives and standards. Foil shims and simulated probe washes are sent to participants. Annual participation is required.
• The aim of the Calibration Gas Proficiency testing scheme is to assess the performance of test houses with the measurement of test gases from NPL certified cylinders. These measurements are conducted at the National Physical Laboratory. The scheme involves the measurement of combustion gases (NOx, SO₂, CO, O₂ and VOCs) at concentrations and conditions typical of plant falling under the Waste Incineration Directive (WID) and Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD). Annual participation is required.
• The Gas Measurement PT scheme is conducted at the stack simulator facility located at the National Physical Laboratory. The scheme involves the measurement of combustion gases (NOx, SO₂, CO, O₂ and VOCs) at concentrations and conditions typical of plant falling under the Waste Incineration Directive (WID) and Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD). The aim of the scheme is to test a complete continuous emissions measurement system from sampling probe to analyzer. Participation is required once during the accreditation cycle but initially prior to award of accreditation and we understand this is arranged for April 2013.