Atmospheric Emissions Testing

Accredited Atmospheric Emissions Licensing & Testing through Apex Environmental

Apex Environmental is an Approved Inspection Authority (AIA) providing expert services to businesses requiring atmospheric emissions licensing. We are authorized to perform atmospheric emissions testing and emissions monitoring projects of any size and complexity throughout Southern Africa.

Apex Environmental is registered in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993) and has been approved by the Department of Employment and Labour as a Type A, Approved Inspection Authority: Occupational Hygiene. Additionally, Apex Environmental is accredited in accordance with the recognized International Standard ISO/IEC 17020:2012 by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).

Our state-of-the-art instrumentation and staff of experienced emissions testing technicians are here to ensure that your business complies with the most up-to-date global Air Quality Standards and South African Air Quality Regulations. Apex Environmental works with top ISO17020 accredited laboratories to ensure high quality results across all our services.

South African Air Quality Regulations

South African Air Quality is regulated by the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 (NEMAQA). To demonstrate that your business operates in accordance with NEMAQA regulations most industrial processes require an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL). Click here to check if your business requires an AEL or to learn more about AELs.

International Air Quality Regulations

ISO14000 and ISO17020

ISO14001 is an international standard demonstrating a commitment to environmental management. The ISO14000 family of standards provide a framework for industry leaders required to comply with increasingly stringent climate action policies implemented by global governments. If your business is ISO14001 compliant, get in touch with us to discuss your annual Vehicle Emissions Testing Requirements and Atmospheric Emissions Testing Requirements. Click here to review the top five reasons ISO14001 certification is important and click here to view the full ISO14000 family of standards.

ISO17020 “specifies the requirements for the competence of bodies performing inspection and for the impartiality and consistency of their inspection activities.” Click to view the ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Requirements.

Emissions Testing Methodologies

Apex Environmental follow procedures and techniques described in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) Source Testing codes to conduct atmospheric emissions testing on stationary sources such as industrial process stacks and combustion stacks.

We have over ten years of experience measuring the stack emissions of a wide range of boilers, incinerators, flares and scrubbers countrywide, to name but a few process units.

Industrial Stack Emissions Testing

Industrial Stack atmospheric emissions tests conducted by Apex Environmental include:

     For stationary sources:

  • Particulate Emissions Determination                                                           US-EPA Methods 1-5
  • Sulphur Dioxide () emissions Determination (baseline method)             US-EPA Method 6
  • Sulphur Dioxide () emissions Determination (Analyzer method)             US-EPA Method 6C
  • Nitrous Oxide () emissions Determination (baseline method )                 US-EPA Method 7
  • Nitrous Oxide () emissions Determination (analyser method)                  US-EPA Method 7E
  • Sulfuric Acid Mist Determination                                                                    US-EPA Method 8
  • Carbon Monoxide Determination                                                                   US-EPA Method 10
  • VOC measurement using Gas Chromatography                                          US-EPA Method 18
  • Dioxans Determination                                                                                     US-EPA Method 23
  • Furans Determination                                                                                       US-EPA Method 23
  • Hydrochloric Acid () emissions Determination                                             US-EPA Method 26
  • Hydrogen Halide and Halogen Emissions Determination                       US-EPA Method 26A
  • Metal Emissions Determination                                                                  US-EPA Method 29
    • Mercury determination
    • Heavy Metals determination
  • Isocyanates Determination                                                                       US-EPA Method CTM 36

Vehicle Emissions Testing

Section 8 (a)(ii) of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (2004) requires that national standards be established for municipalities to monitor point, non-point and mobile source emissions.

This is brought to effect in the National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa (2007). (Click here to learn more about atmospheric emissions sources).

Limits for the density/opacity of exhaust emissions from diesel-fuelled vehicles have been prescribed in South African legislation viz. GN R1651 of 20th September 1974, Regulations Concerning the Control of Noxious or Offensive Gases Emitted by Diesel-Driven Vehicles.

 

Additionally, Apex Environmental endorses more recent legislation such as the eThekwini Air Quality Management By-law, 2020.

Vehicle Emission testing will be undertaken in view of the most applicable legal and best practice standards, set both locally and internationally and will include, but is not limited to:

  • International exhaust emission standards
  • Vehicle emissions specification standards
  • SANAS 20049

 

Atmospheric Emissions Licensing

Atmospheric Emissions Licenses (AELs) are managed by the South African Atmospheric Emission Licensing and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP). SAAELIP’s primary function is to report atmospheric emissions to the National Atmospheric Emission Inventory System (NAEIS). NAEIS manages South Africa’s air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions inventories according to the 2006 International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

Carbon Taxes resulting from Atmospheric Emissions

South Africa is currently in the process of implementing Phase 1 of the country’s 2019 Carbon Tax Act. This has a number of implications for South Africa’s registered Atmospheric Emitters. To find out more about the status of Carbon Tax in South Africa, consult SARS’s Carbon Tax page. For more information on current South African Carbon Offset Projects which registered atmospheric emitters can invest in to reduce their Carbon Taxes, consult the Carbon Offset Administration System (COAS). To learn more about the forecasted implications of global Carbon Tax trends and policies for your business contact us at emissionstesting@apexenviro.co.za .

Other Air Quality Services offered by Apex Environmental

In addition to the services offered by our emissions testing department, the Apex Environmental Monitoring division offers the following Air Quality services:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER SERVICES

 

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