Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

PART 3 Emission monitoring

1. The concentrations of SO₂, NO_x and dust in waste gases from each combustion plant with a total rated thermal input of 100 MW or more shall be measured continuously.

The concentration of CO in waste gases from each combustion plant firing gaseous fuels with a total rated thermal input of 100 MW or more shall be measured continuously.

2. The competent authority may decide not to require the continuous measurements referred to in point 1 in the following cases:

(a)

for combustion plants with a life span of less than 10 000 operational hours;

(b)

for SO₂ and dust from combustion plants firing natural gas;

(c)

for SO₂ from combustion plants firing oil with known sulphur content in cases where there is no waste gas desulphurisation equipment;

(d)

for SO₂ from combustion plants firing biomass if the operator can prove that the SO₂ emissions can under no circumstances be higher than the prescribed emission limit values.

3. Where continuous measurements are not required, measurements of SO₂, NO_x, dust and, for gas fired plants, also of CO shall be required at least once every 6 months.

4. For combustion plants firing coal or lignite, the emissions of total mercury shall be measured at least once per year.

5. As an alternative to the measurements of SO₂ and NO_x referred to in point 3, other procedures, verified and approved by the competent authority, may be used to determine the SO₂ and NO_x emissions. Such procedures shall use relevant CEN standards or, if CEN standards are not available, ISO, national or other international standards which ensure the provision of data of an equivalent scientific quality.

6. The competent authority shall be informed of significant changes in the type of fuel used or in the mode of operation of the plant. The competent authority shall decide whether the monitoring requirements laid down in points 1 to 4 are still adequate or require adaptation.

7. The continuous measurements carried out in accordance with point 1 shall include the measurement of the oxygen content, temperature, pressure and water vapour content of the waste gases. The continuous measurement of the water vapour content of the waste gases shall not be necessary, provided that the sampled waste gas is dried before the emissions are analysed.

8. Sampling and analysis of relevant polluting substances and measurements of process parameters as well as the quality assurance of automated measuring systems and the reference measurement methods to calibrate those systems shall be carried out in accordance with CEN standards. If CEN standards are not available, ISO, national or other international standards which ensure the provision of data of an equivalent scientific quality shall apply.

The automated measuring systems shall be subject to control by means of parallel measurements with the reference methods at least once per year.

The operator shall inform the competent authority about the results of the checking of the automated measuring systems.

9. At the emission limit value level, the values of the 95 % confidence intervals of a single measured result shall not exceed the following percentages of the emission limit values:

Carbon monoxide	10 %
Sulphur dioxide	20 %
Nitrogen oxides	20 %
Dust	30 %

10. The validated hourly and daily average values shall be determined from the measured valid hourly average values after having subtracted the value of the confidence interval specified in point 9.

Any day in which more than three hourly average values are invalid due to malfunction or maintenance of the automated measuring system shall be invalidated. If more than 10 days over a year are invalidated for such situations the competent authority shall require the operator to take adequate measures to improve the reliability of the automated measuring system.

11. In the case of plants which must comply with the rates of desulphurisation referred to in Article 31, the sulphur content of the fuel which is fired in the combustion plant shall also be regularly monitored. The competent authorities shall be informed of substantial changes in the type of fuel used.