Pollution Engineering - October 2008 - (Page 23)

How the program works: • Gas manufacturers/vendors pay to participate in the PGVP. • A third-party, independent company will pay a contractor to blindly purchase EPA protocol gases within a certain range from all the participants. • EPA protocol gases are shipped to NIST in Gaithersburg, Md., where tag compare (certificate) values are compared against their analysis. • Results are posted online and an email notification is sent to designated representatives of Part 75 facilities letting them know where to find the results. • Every year, the results will be posted and will live on a web page that is managed by the Institute of Clean Air Companies and the EPA. of these of th changes is that the EPA will require all gas vendors that wish hes t sell ell to se EPA protocol gases to formally participate in the PGVP. Gas manu uf manufacturers can elect not to enroll in this program. However, they n no will not be allowed to advertise, sell or distribute product using the m “EPA” when marketing protocol gases to their customers. This term “ requi ire requirement is outlined in 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix A, Section 2.6.1, C 40 CFR Parts 72 and 75, Appendix C, page 4,364 and will also be inser rte inserted into 40 CFR Part 75, Appendix A, Section 5.1.1. To keep all parties apprised of vendor and site participation, the ok EPA is concurrently developing a website, set to launch in 2009, that will have a comprehensive listing of companies and manufacturing h ha “ However, they will not be allowed to advertise, sell or distribute product using the term “EPA” when marketing protocol gases to their customers. Calibration gases are used to make certain that sensors for stacks are measuring the exhaust gases properly, which can save millions of dollars each year. Photograph supplied courtesy of Airgas Inc. sites participating in the PGVP. Plants that are Part 75 facilities or that have Part 58 reporting requirements will need to enroll in the program to be included in this directory. The other major change under the new program requires gas manufacturers to pay a participation fee at each site in order to become an eligible vendor and be included in the EPA online database. This shifts the cost of the blind audit away from taxpayers and instead gives it to the gas vendors. This fee can either be completely absorbed by the gas manufacturer or it can also open the door for gas vendors to pass the cost along to their customers. In actuality, most gas vendors will probably pass the added cost along to the end user; however, it will be in the form of a manageable increase of less than $3/per EPA protocol gas since the program is also maximized to cost each manufacturer approximately $6,000 per site. If the cost is in fact filtered down, EPA protocol gas users can expect to see an increase in cylinder rentals or gas prices once the program is underway. However, they will also see that they have ” better gas and improved, accurate measurement of their emissions. It is important to note that vendors can participate in the PGVP without passing the audit. Therefore, facilities should consult the EPA database and monitor results coverage for all participating vendors. When the database is carefully used as a tool, facilities can effectively select manufacturers that can best suit their needs and that have a proven track record of compliance. The big idea behind the PGVP is to show improvement of EPA protocol gas manufacturers, as well as to ensure continued product quality. PGVP participants that fail to pass can expect to be questioned by their customers about product quality and measuring accuracy. Those that continue to perform well may see an increase in their customer base. The bottom line is that slight differences in analytical accuracy can translate to huge dollars in potential lost emissions credits or fines. This program aims to give facilities the upper hand in selecting a gas manufacturer that helps them to make the grade. The EPA has invested the time and it seems to have gotten it right. Bob Davis is director of utilities for Airgas Inc., and is based in Allentown, Pa. He can be reached at (610) 675-6854. For more information, visit www.airgas.com or e-mail bob.davis@airgas.com. Editor’s Note: Currently, there is a lawsuit against EPA to stop the PGVP, however EPA is moving ahead with the program and expects some kind of program in January 2009. OCTOBER2008 www.pollutionengineering.com 23 http://www.airgas.com http://www.pollutionengineering.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pollution Engineering - October 2008

Pollution Engineering - October 2008 Contents The Editor’s Desk EnviroNews PE Events Legal Lookout Green Connections Clearing the Air Water for People There’s a New Show in Town Catching Wind for Clean Water Taking the Pressure off Blower Selection Pulsed Plasma Positive Redundancy Product Focus: Municipal Water Treatment Product Focus: Monitoring Equipment PE Products Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index State Rules

Pollution Engineering - October 2008

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