EPA Method 22 – How to Make a Visible Emissions Observation

VR Smoke School has released a new instructional video for making EPA Method 22 observations.

The video provides a practical explanation of how to conduct an EPA Method 22 observation, including how Method 22 differs from EPA Method 9, how to select an appropriate observation position, and how to document the amount of time visible emissions are present.

What Is EPA Method 22?

EPA Method 22 is a visual observation procedure used to determine the presence or absence of visible emissions from a source.

This is an important distinction from EPA Method 9. With Method 9, a trained and certified observer estimates the opacity of an emission in 5-percent increments. With Method 22, the observer does not determine opacity. Instead, the observer determines whether visible emissions are present and, when required by the applicable regulation or permit, measures the amount of time those emissions occur.

To see a full comparison, check out our other article titled Method 9 vs. 22.

What the Video Covers

The new video walks through the observation process and demonstrates how an observer can use two stopwatches to track both the overall observation period and the accumulated duration of visible emissions.

Topics covered include:

• The difference between EPA Method 9 and EPA Method 22
• Method 22 observer training
• Equipment needed for an observation
• Selecting an appropriate observer position
• Recommended viewing distance
• Sun position and background contrast
• When to start and stop the stopwatches
• Calculating emission frequency

The video uses a flare to clearly demonstrate how the timing procedure works. Gas flares commonly have EPA Method 22 requirements.

Is Method 22 Certification Required?

There is no separate field certification process for EPA Method 22 comparable to the certification required for EPA Method 9.

However, a Method 22 observer should understand the factors that can affect the ability to detect visible emissions, including observer position, lighting, background contrast, wind and other environmental conditions.

The lecture portion of a Method 9 training course is one way to obtain this training. And ours just happens to be free and awesome.

VR Smoke School's free online lecture course contains an entire section dedicated to EPA Method 22. The course also includes printable Method 22 observation forms for both indoor and outdoor observations.

Learn more about the free online lecture.

Learn EPA Methods 9 and 22 Online

You can access the entire online lecture, learn more about Method 22, practice opacity observations and become familiar with the VR Smoke School certification process from a computer.

Learn more about the VR Smoke School process.

When you are ready to begin, register for free.

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