Knowledge base – Page 3

The amendment to the Air Protection Act and related methodological guidance from the Ministry of the Environment have raised a new practical question: which sources must be additionally permitted or brought into compliance with new requirements? The topic concerns especially sources that were previously only mentioned in a permit, were treated as related activity, or newly fall under Annex No.

An operating parameter serves to demonstrate on an ongoing basis that emission reduction technology or emission reduction measures are actually working. It may involve temperature, pressure, flow rate, filter pressure drop, sorbent dosing, or wetting operation.

2026 is important for air protection mainly because of the practical impact of the amendment to the Air Protection Act No. 42/2025 Coll.

A measurement location on the exhaust is not just a technical detail for the laboratory. If authorised emission measurement is to be carried out in future, the exhaust must be accessible, safe and suitable for representative sampling.

Emissions and immissions are two different perspectives on air pollution. Emissions describe what a source releases through a stack, exhaust, or technological area.

A quick project assessment is only possible when basic information is available on the building, technology, capacity, exhausts, operating hours, transport, and the authority's requirements. Complete project documentation is not always needed immediately, but the materials must make it possible to determine whether measurement, a noise study, a dispersion study, an expert opinion, EIA, JES, operating rules, or other environmental documentation will be required.

A catalogue value for equipment noise is a useful orientational input, but on its own it usually is not enough for professional noise assessment. What matters is whether the manufacturer states sound power level or sound pressure level, at what distance the value was determined, under what operating regime, with what directivity, and with what uncertainty.

For industrial and technical projects, resolving only the building and technology part is not enough. Already in an early phase, exhaust placement, noise sources, traffic routes, protective setbacks, and operating capacity may decide the outcome.

Permitting an industrial operation from an environmental perspective usually does not address just one area. Depending on the type of project, it may be necessary to assess air quality, noise, waste, water, EIA, the unified environmental opinion, operating rules, expert reports and dispersion studies.

Automotive operations combine many technologies that can affect the work environment, air emissions, and noise in the surroundings. Painting, bonding, component covering, PUR foams, flame lamination, welding, chemical substances in workplace air, VOC, dust, metals, and technological noise are typically addressed.

Wood-processing operations are typical sources of dust, sawdust, noise, and emissions of total suspended particulates (TSP). During cutting, planing, sanding, milling, or production of chips and pellets, wood dust arises that matters both from a work environment perspective and from an air protection perspective.

Landfills and waste facilities are among projects where not only waste management itself is usually addressed. Capacities, instantaneous capacity, waste types, operating rules, noise, air, water, traffic, EIA, and for larger facilities also IPPC are important.