Every business that emits pollutants into the air needs to undergo air emissions testing and monitoring to ensure adherence to the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines. There are a variety of companies that offer this service, making it essential to be aware of the process of testing to better inform you when you look for a company to perform your testing.
Inspection and Pretesting
Before the actual testing phase begins, an agency might perform an inspection of your facilities and determine any pretesting or sampling that needs to take place to ensure the entire process goes smoothly. The purpose of the inspection and pretesting is to determine the exact location of all the ports and determine if any additional equipment or safety gear is required to safely administer the sampling and appropriate tests.
Gathering the Source Emissions
The next step the agency will take is to gather a sample of your pollutants, which begins the air emissions testing. This can be done in a variety of ways, but each method must adhere to the strictest safety guidelines. The sample of the gas stream that is obtained needs to be representative of the actual production your company produces on a daily basis. This might require you to make sure the facility is operating at full capacity to ensure a valid sample is obtained.
Reporting
Once the samples are obtained, they are sent to a laboratory for an in-depth analysis. This process can take several weeks to obtain, but the actual reporting must be sent to the EPA within eight weeks following the test. Once reports are obtained, you can determine if there are any issues with your source emissions and how you can rectify the problem. In addition, they might help you determine how you can make your facility more energy and cost efficient to help increase profits and decrease the toll it takes on the environment.
Air emissions testing is a requirement for any company that emits pollutants into the air. The testing is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, but the testing is actually completed by a third-party testing agency you can choose. Take your time finding a company that offers the utmost safety precautions, offers physical inspections and pretesting and is willing to work with you once results are received to determine how to better run your facility.
To learn more about why you should consider air emissions testing for your company, visit us.
