News
19-Dec-2008 - LGC Standards launches new proficiency
testing scheme for the determination of pollutants in stack
solutions
Call for participants to join new Stack Emissions Proficiency
Testing Scheme (STACKS) and gain independent assessment of
measurement quality
LGC Standards, a division of LGC
and a global leader in proficiency testing services to the food,
pharmaceutical, beverages, and environmental sectors, is pleased to
announce the launch of its new proficiency testing scheme – STACKS
- for the determination of pollutants in stacks solutions
The scheme has been designed for periodic
manual measurement. EU legislation (Directive
96/61/EC and its codified version 2008/1/EC) dictates that the
emissions from stationary stacks such as chimney stacks are
monitored. Participation in a proficiency testing scheme for stack
emission monitoring is a requirement of the UK Environment Agency’s
Monitoring Certification Scheme (MCERTS).
Elizabeth Jordain, General Manager, LGC
Standards, said: "The launch of STACKS reflects the importance
we place on regularly reviewing relevant legislation and the needs
of our customers. STACKS is also a logical extension to LGC
Standards' broad range of PT schemes offered to environmental
analysis laboratories. Furthermore, the scheme will support UKAS
accredited laboratories who will be required to carry out
proficiency testing where stack solutions testing is included in
their scope of accreditation.”
Participating in STACKS allows results to be
compared with industry colleagues in complete confidence. It may
also be used in method and instrument evaluation and it can
demonstrate reliability of analytical performance to customers and
regulators.
The scheme runs from September to August with
quarterly distribution of material to laboratories. The test
materials used in the scheme will reflect the types of materials
generally encountered by participants therefore the parameters
available for testing include mercury; heavy metals; sulfur dioxide
(as sulphate); hydrogen fluoride; HCL (hydrogen chloride and
hydrochloric acid) and ammonia. The preparation and analysis of the
test parameters are all based on the various EN Standards and are
continually reviewed to ensure they meet current laboratory testing
and regulatory requirements.
For further information please contact LGC
Standards Proficiency Testing via e-mail: customerservices@lgcpt.com
or tel: +44 (0)161 762 2500 or fax +44 (0)161 762 2501.
Notes to Editors