In short
- In England, the Environment Agency issues Part A1 installation permits; local councils issue Part A2 and Part B.
- Permit applications must include proposals for monitoring emissions.
- Your scrubber supplier should give you predicted outlet figures and a sampling plan before you apply.
Most process engineers meet the permit at one of two moments: when a new line is being designed, or when a stack test fails. In both cases, the abatement equipment is under scrutiny. This article sets out what regulators usually want to see, and how to have it ready.
Who issues the permit
In England, industrial installations need an environmental permit. GOV.UK guidance explains that the Environment Agency handles Part A1 installations, while local councils handle Part A2 and Part B. Waste operations and several other activities are also permitted by the Environment Agency. Operating without a permit when one is required is an offence.
Across Europe the structure differs but the questions are similar. German sites work under the Federal Immission Control Act and TA Luft. French sites work under the ICPE regime. Each sets emission limits and monitoring requirements for the substances you release.
Monitoring is part of the application
GOV.UK guidance states that applications for environmental permits must include proposals for monitoring emissions, and that permits set conditions on measurement method, frequency and reporting. Monitoring can be periodic, with samples taken at intervals, or continuous. Continuous monitoring is expected where emissions vary so much that occasional sampling would not be representative.
Where monitoring is carried out under the MCERTS scheme, organisations must meet EN ISO/IEC 17025, use MCERTS-certified staff, and have samples analysed by laboratories accredited to the MCERTS standard.
Preparing a permit application?
Send us the process and the limits you expect. We will produce the scrubber data your application needs.
The scrubber data to have ready
| Item | Why the regulator wants it |
|---|---|
| Predicted inlet and outlet concentration for each substance | Shows the design will meet the emission limit |
| Design airflow and stack height | Used in dispersion and impact assessment |
| Reagent and water consumption, and bleed rate | Shows chemical use and liquid waste are understood |
| Control and alarm philosophy | Shows what happens if dosing, pumps or fan fail |
| Sampling port location and access | Lets monitoring be carried out to the required standard |
Engineer's note
Stack test problems often trace back to a change nobody recorded: an extra tank on the duct, a fan speed change or a new process chemical. Keeping the scrubber datasheet with the permit file makes those changes visible before the tester arrives.
Common reasons stack tests fail
- Airflow higher than the design basis after a process change.
- Liquor out of range because a probe has drifted or a dosing pump has failed.
- Mist carry-over counted as emission because the mist eliminator is fouled or undersized.
- A sampling location too close to a bend, giving unrepresentative results.
Most of these are design or maintenance issues, not chemistry. A datasheet that states the design basis makes it much easier to see what has changed.
Need numbers you can put in an application? Every Caldera quotation includes a datasheet with predicted outlet figures.
Request a quoteOur acid fume scrubbers and chemical scrubbers are both quoted with this data as standard.
Common questions
Do I always need continuous emissions monitoring?
No. GOV.UK guidance notes that periodic monitoring alone may be acceptable depending on the process. Continuous monitoring is expected where emissions vary too much for occasional samples to be representative.
Who sets my emission limit?
Your permit does. Limits are set by the regulator for your installation and activity, informed by the relevant guidance and best available techniques.
Can you design to TA Luft or ICPE requirements?
Yes. Tell us the regime and the limits that apply and we design and document the scrubber against them.