15 Oct 2014 / by airtox / in News

What you need to know about the new 40 CFR 60 App. F Procedure 3 Requirements

The EPA recently released the final ruling on the COMS QAQC (quality assurance quality controlled) procedures under 40 CFR 60 appendix F. The procedure is only applicable to NSPS (New Source Performance Standard) sources. The ruling is effective on November 12th, 2014. Below are the key points of the new procedure:

Purpose: to establish QAQC procedures for COMS (continuous opacity monitoring systems)

Basic Requirements

  1. Daily instrument zero and upscale drift checks and status indicator checks (Daily Calibrations)
  2. Quarterly performance audits which include
    1. Optical alignment
    2. Calibration error
    3. Zero compensation
  3. Annual zero alignment

Additional Notes

  1. Daily Calibration specifications remain same as under Part 60 App. B PS 1 .

-Daily drift limit = 2% full scale

-Out of Control = 2 times the daily drift limit (4% FS)

  1. Facilities that achieve quality assured data for 4 consecutive quarter may reduce their auditing frequency to semi-annually.

2b. Calibration error procedures remain the same under PS1 except for the following: calibration attenuators must be recalibrated once annually (not semi-annually). If two annual calibrations agree within 0.5% opacity, the attenuators may be calibrated once every 5 years.

  1. Monitors with an external zero device may be tested with either the manufacturer’s certificate of conformance (MCOC), or on-site performance testing. If an external zero device is used for zero alignment audits, the audit must be performed with the COMS off the stack every three years. If the external zero device is adjusted, you must perform an audit with the COMS off the stack no later than three years after the date of adjustment.

 

Other Requirements

  • The facility must have a written QC document that includes the procedures as outlined under Procedure 3, and any corrective actions that the facility will take in the case of a malfunction.

“EPA believes most, if not all, owners/operators are already following procedures similar to those specified in procedure 3. Therefore, there are no additional costs, or reporting burden, associated with implementing procedure 3” 79 FR 28439 (May 16 2014).

Read the entire regulation here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-05-16/html/2014-11226.htm