Monitoring, Insights, and Solutions for Stuff in the Air

Details on release data collection

- With a little more info on data collection, analysis, and interpretation, environmental scientists will be able to assess pollution levels a little better, helping us develop strategies for improving air quality.

The main point here is to show the impact of source monitoring on the control of pollution levels in industrial operations, how Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) and stack sampling work and how to use the data in calculating pollution rates.  Details include: 

• what data is needed
• how to fill out the Annual Emissions Inventory Report (AEIR) form
• why monitoring non-point sources is important
• monitoring methods
• substances or parameters monitored
• monitoring frequency, duration, and sampling dates.

Also, I outline where to put source monitoring and non-point source info in the AEIR Form.  These instructions are spelled out in detail in Section 13 of the AEIR standard.

Pollution control and environmental compliance

We need to know what monitoring happened at these non-point sources during the year. Keeping track of what's going on helps us cross-reference when needed.  Checking for leaks or emissions that might escape quietly is called fugitive monitoring. The substances or parameters that were monitored (like ammonia leaks) are noted on the form.

How Often We Check: We want to know how often facility employees check. Do they check these sources daily, weekly, quarterly, or at other intervals? It helps them figure out if there are persistent problems.  It's also important to know how long they monitored. How long did they monitor each time?

We need to know when they checked, so they give us the dates.
Sometimes they divide the area into zones and take samples from each. Each zone has a number of samples, and we note how many they took.

Measured or Assigned: We need to know if the emissions were measured or if they were assigned based on a library. It helps us figure out if they took actual measurements or used estimates.

All this monitoring helps us make sure factories don't release harmful stuff in the air. Keeping our environment clean and safe is what it's all about.

Compliance with environmental laws

It's not necessary to include individual source monitoring results or summaries of monitoring information on this worksheet, since Alberta Monitoring Directive (AMD) Reporting Chapter or applicable Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) approval conditions have already required the monitoring results to be submitted.

Table 52 in Appendix C of the AEIR Standard shows the data fields for worksheet 3.6: Non-Point Source - Source Monitoring.
Did the industrial operation monitor any non-point sources using fugitive monitoring or other non-point source monitoring? (y/n)? You can check this box if any non-point sources at the industrial operation were monitored using fugitive monitoring or other non-point source monitoring during the inventory year by selecting "Yes" or "No".

AEIR Form worksheet 3.6 does not need to be filled out if there were no fugitive or other sources monitored non-point sources. Otherwise, non-point source information shouldn't be left blank.  Include:
- Descriptive name for non-point sources
- Vents for ammonia tanks (for example)

The Non-Point Source Descriptive Name is carried over from worksheet 3.0. You don't have to fill it out.  However, did you use fugitive monitoring or any other non-point source monitoring? (y/n)?  This field lets you pick "Yes" or "No" to indicate whether the specific non-point source was monitored using fugitive monitoring or other non-point source monitoring during the inventory year.

Non-point sources that weren't fugitives or otherwise monitored during the inventory year don't need to have the remaining monitoring information fields filled out. Again, non-point source monitoring information shouldn't be left blank.

How many Sampling methods were used?  This field asks how many sampling methods were used on the non-point source releasing stuff in the air.  In the next field (Non-Point) you'll see the number of sampling methods.

In worksheet 3.6 of the AEIR Form, there are Source Monitoring Descriptions 1-15). This field must be filled in if you're reporting non-point source monitoring info.
- Description 1 of non-point source monitoring
- Monitoring 1: What we did
- Detecting fugitive leaks

This field asks for a brief description of the non-point source monitoring. You can't leave this field blank if you're reporting non-point source monitoring info.

What substances/parameters were monitored? (list them all)
e.g., Ammonia - List all the substances/parameters that were monitored for the non-point source here. You can't leave this field blank either if you're reporting non-point source monitoring.

Please be aware that grouping some substances/parameters together may be acceptable if there are more than can be entered individually. There's no need to report emissions of substances monitored beyond Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 on the AEIR form.

Did emissions get measured or assigned based on a library? e.g., measured - In this field, you have to say whether the emissions were measured or if they were assigned from a library. This field must be filled in if you're reporting non-point source monitoring info.

Frequency of monitoring e.g., quarterly - Identify the monitoring frequency for the non-point source in this field. This field must be filled out if you're reporting non-point source monitoring information.

Duration of monitoring - e.g., 3-hour intervals - Identify the typical monitoring duration for each sampling period for non-point sources. You can't leave this field blank if you're reporting non-point source monitoring.

Period(s) of sampling e.g., March, June, September, December
In this field, you'll need to list all the sampling periods for the non-point source. This field must be filled in if you're reporting non-point source monitoring.

List of applicable sampling dates for the inventory year - In this field, you'll need to list the dates that the non-point source was sampled during the inventory year.

Emission zones for the inventory year if applicable - The number of emission zones for the non-point source sampling needs to be entered here.

List the typical number of samples taken per emission zone - Listed here is the typical number of samples taken per emission zone, if applicable. For each zone, a different number of samples should be taken (e.g., 3 for zone A, 5 for zone B, etc.).

On worksheet 3.6 of the AEIR Form, you'll find additional source monitoring information fields for up to fifteen different types of non-point source monitoring methods. In the AEIR Standard, these fields aren't repeated.