First, verify what is actually to be measured
The scope of an authorised measurement must be based primarily on the valid operating permit, the relevant provisions of Act No. 201/2012 Coll., on Air Protection and Decree No. 415/2012 Coll..
Before ordering the measurement, we recommend checking in particular:
- which sources and stacks are to be measured, which pollutants have a stipulated emission limit and what measurement frequency is required,
- whether the technology, fuel, raw material, capacity, filtration or the way emissions are discharged has changed since the last measurement,
- whether the numbering of sources and stacks corresponds to the operating permit, the operating rules and the records in ISPOP.
An older measurement protocol is very useful, but it should not be the only basis. The operating permit may have been amended in the meantime and the current scope of measurement may be different.
The measurement date must be notified in good time
Only a measurement preceded by notification of the date through ISPOP is considered a statutory one-off emission measurement.
The operator must notify the date at least 5 working days before the measurement is carried out.
If the date is changed or cancelled for a reason that could be foreseen in advance, the change must be notified at least 1 working day before the originally planned date.
When changing the date, it is not enough to overwrite the original notification. In ISPOP, cancel the original date and submit a new, proper notification. Observe the lead time of at least five working days for the new date as well. Details are given in the ISPOP FAQ, item 8.5.
It is advisable to deal with this administrative part together with the measuring laboratory when confirming the date. A missing or late notification may mean that the measurement carried out cannot be considered a one-off measurement under the Act.
The source must operate in a representative mode
The measurement is meant to characterise actual emissions during normal operation of the source. The Decree requires that the one-off measurement be representative and conclusive.
For combustion stationary sources with a total rated thermal input below 50 MW, the measurement is carried out under stable operating conditions and at a representative and uniform load. Values during start-up and shutdown of the equipment are not included in the results.
For technological sources, it must be agreed before the measurement which production mode corresponds to representative operation. For a paint shop, this may be the regular application of coating materials; for a dryer, a standard production batch; for an electroplating shop, operation of the relevant baths; and for a filtration unit, operation of the technology that generates the measured emissions.
A measurement carried out at minimal production or under unusually favourable conditions may not be usable.
Equally problematic is scheduling the measurement for a day when there are not enough products, raw materials or operators to maintain the required mode throughout the sampling.
How long the source must remain in stable operation
A one-off measurement usually does not mean one short reading.
For manual methods, the Decree generally prescribes at least three individual measurements under constant operating conditions and six under variable operating conditions. Further rules apply to batch production, other procedures and special cases. Confirm the number of samples and the required operating time with the laboratory in advance.
It is advisable to check the measurement point in advance
One of the most common practical complications is an unsuitable or inaccessible measurement point.
Under the Act, measurement is carried out at a point beyond which the composition of the waste gases no longer changes, or at another point meeting the statutory conditions.
The measuring technician needs safe access to the sampling ports, enough space for the probes and measuring equipment, and the ability to work safely throughout the measurement.
Scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
| What to verify before measurement | Typical problem |
|---|---|
| Access to the stack | Missing ladder, walkway or working platform |
| Sampling ports | Missing, of unsuitable size or covered |
| Space around the duct | The probe cannot be inserted or handled |
| Location of the measurement profile | Immediately after a bend, a fan or another flow disturbance |
| Electrical power | Not available at the required location |
| Lighting | Insufficient, especially on the roof or in the technology area |
| Safety | Hot surfaces, fall height, moving machinery or other risk |
| Stack | Does not correspond to the stack stated in the permit |
For a new source, we recommend addressing the measurement point already in the project documentation. A check before the date helps uncover complications before the measurement team travels to the site.
The filtration must be in its standard operating state
Before an authorised measurement, it is not advisable to create an extraordinary operating mode that is not used in regular production.
A filter, wet scrubber, adsorption unit, afterburner or other emission abatement technology must operate in a manner corresponding to regular permitted operation.
At the same time, it is sensible to check the technical condition of the equipment before the date. Damaged filter elements, non-functioning reagent dosing, clogged nozzles or a fan failure may cause the emission limit to be exceeded and a new measurement to be necessary after repair.
If the permit stipulates monitoring of an operating parameter, for example the pressure drop of a filter, the temperature of an afterburner chamber or the flow of scrubbing liquid, this value should be available and recorded during the measurement.
Prepare data on actual operation
The measurement team must describe the state of the source during the measurement in the protocol. It therefore needs data that can prove that the measurement took place under appropriate conditions.
Useful data include, for example:
Scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
| Type of source | Operating data during measurement |
|---|---|
| Boiler | Thermal output, input, consumption and type of fuel |
| Paint shop | Number of products, consumption of coating materials, operation of the booth |
| Dryer | Batch, output, amount of material processed |
| Electroplating shop | Operation of the relevant baths and extraction |
| Crusher | Amount of material processed per hour |
| Production line | Output in pieces or by weight |
| Combustion or afterburning unit | Temperatures, output and operating parameters |
If production capacity is monitored automatically, it is advisable to ensure access to the data from the control system.
Several stacks may mean several measurements
If a source discharges emissions through several chimneys or stacks, the Act generally requires the level of pollution to be determined at each of them, unless the operating permit stipulates otherwise.
This is important, for example, for paint lines, furnaces, dryers or production technologies with several separate extraction branches.
Before ordering the measurement, we recommend comparing the process diagram with the operating permit. Discovering a second mandatory stack on the day of measurement may mean that the laboratory does not have enough time, sampling material or the necessary equipment.
The first measurement after installation or a change of technology
The Decree lays down an obligation to carry out a one-off emission measurement no later than 4 months after:
- the first commissioning of the stationary source,
- a change of fuel, raw material or thermally treated waste stated in the operating permit,
- an intervention in the design or equipment of the source that could lead to a change in emissions.
For waste thermal treatment plants, the relevant period is 3 months.
For a reconstruction, we therefore recommend planning the measurement already when preparing to put the technology into operation. The four-month period may be short if it is subsequently found that the stack has no suitable measurement point.
The most common reasons why further measurement becomes necessary
A repeated measurement may be caused by a technical fault, unsuitable operating conditions or a mismatch between the actual technology and the permit.
Typical situations are those where the source repeatedly drops out during sampling, the necessary production cannot be maintained, the measurement point does not allow correct sampling, or it is found only on site that another substance or another stack is to be measured.
A separate case is exceedance of an emission limit. After the cause has been eliminated, a new measurement may be necessary to demonstrate compliance with the operating conditions.
A check before the date helps uncover complications before the measurement team travels to the site.
What we recommend sending to the laboratory in advance
To prepare an authorised measurement, you can send us:
- the valid operating permit and any operating rules,
- the last protocol of an authorised emission measurement,
- technical data on the source, the stack and the emission abatement equipment,
- photographs of the measurement point and information on access,
- the planned production mode on the day of measurement and any changes to the technology since the last measurement.
We will go through the documents with you in advance and specify the sources, stacks, measured substances and required operating mode for the measurement order. Photographs of the measurement point will help us point out obvious technical or administrative complications in good time.
You will find more information on the page Authorised emission measurement – NATURCHEM.
Related legal regulations
Act No. 201/2012 Coll., on Air Protection
Decree No. 415/2012 Coll., on the permissible level of pollution and its determination