The introduction of a new European quality standard for emissions testing, EN 14181, is encouraging many industries to upgrade their existing analytical procedures and automated monitoring systems
As the European Commission plans to overhaul EU legislation on air quality, further tightening emissions ceilings, a new pan-European quality standard on emissions testing is encouraging many industries to review current systems and invest to remain compliant in the future.
Emissions testing has long been a priority for many industries, which monitor process emissions levels on a regular or ongoing basis.
Now, a new European quality standard for emissions testing, EN 14181, adopted in the UK in 2004, is aiming to standardise best practice across Europe.
The introduction of the standard is encouraging many industries to upgrade their existing analytical procedures and automated monitoring systems (AMS), also known as continuous emissions monitoring systems (Cems) in the UK.
EN 14181 sets out new quality assurance guidance, which should be followed to ensure that processes are compliant with the full breadth of EU environmental directives and deliver analytical results to meet legislative requirements.
These include the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive (96/61/EC); Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC); Large Combustion Plant Directive (2001/81/EC) and Solvent Emissions Directive (1999/13/EC).
To ensure that specified uncertainty levels are achieved on analytical measurements on a continuous basis, plants will need to have systems in place that are certified and that follow specified quality assurance procedures.
They will also need skilled personnel, with proven competency, to carry out the specified tasks and if necessary, work in closer partnerships with Ukas-accredited testing laboratories.
In all cases analysts will require high performance gases including highly stable and accurate speciality gas mixtures and ultra high purity gases for use as zero and calibration gases in the emissions analyses.
Anne-Catherine Gridelet, Air Products's marketing specialist for analytical and laboratories in Europe, comments: "The introduction of this European quality standard adds to the pressure on analysts in the chemical industries and power plants to ensure that emissions detection limits are being adhered to consistently at all times and that the systems in place to test emissions at source are operating effectively at all times.
"To meet the new standard, many industries are seeking to establish closer partnerships with speciality gas suppliers in order to bring them peace of mind - maximising the efficiency of their emissions-testing systems and minimising uncertainty levels on their analytical results".
As a supplier of speciality gases and gas mixtures for emissions testing, Air Products's Experis range of gas products includes calibration gas mixtures which come with ISO 6141 calibration certificates, specifying uncertainty levels of each component gas and allowing full traceability.
Air Products also supplies a wide range of certified reference materials, produced in its own European laboratory, accredited to ISO 17025 standard.
