1. Two types of limit value are important for heavy metal emission control:

a) Values for specific heavy metals or groups of heavy metals; and

b) Values for emissions of particulate matter in general.

2. In principle, limit values for particulate matter cannot replace specific limit values for cadmium, lead and mercury because the quantity of metals associated with particulate emissions differs from one process to another. However, compliance with these limits contributes significantly to reducing heavy metal emissions in general. Moreover, monitoring particulate emissions is generally less expensive than monitoring individual species and continuous monitoring of individual heavy metals is in general not feasible. Therefore, particulate matter limit values are of great practical importance and are also laid down in this annex in most cases to complement specific limit values for cadmium or lead or mercury.

3. Section A applies to Parties other than the United States of America. Section B applies to the United States of America.

A. Parties other than the United States of America

4. In this section only, “dust” means the mass of particles, of any shape, structure or density, dispersed in the gas phase at the sampling point conditions which may be collected by filtration under specified conditions after representative sampling of the gas to be analysed, and which remain upstream of the filter and on the filter after drying under specified conditions.

5. For the purpose of this section, “emission limit value” (ELV) or “limit value” means the quantity of dust and specific heavy metals under this Protocol contained in the waste gases from an installation that is not to be exceeded. Unless otherwise specified, it shall be calculated in terms of mass of pollutant per volume of the waste gases (expressed as mg/m3), assuming standard conditions for temperature and pressure for dry gas (volume at 273.15 K, 101.3 kPa). With regard to the oxygen content of the waste gas, the values given for selected major stationary source categories shall apply. Dilution for the purpose of lowering concentrations of pollutants in waste gases is not permitted. Start-up, shutdown and maintenance of equipment are excluded.

6. Emissions shall be monitored in all cases via measurements or through calculations achieving at least the same accuracy. Compliance with limit values shall be verified through continuous or discontinuous measurements, or any other technically sound method including verified calculation methods. Measurements of relevant heavy metals shall be made at least once every three years for each industrial source. Guidance documents on the methods for undertaking measurements and calculations adopted by the Parties at the session of the Executive Body shall be taken into account. In case of continuous measurements, compliance with the limit value is achieved if the validated monthly emission average does not exceed the ELV. In case of discontinuous measurements or other appropriate determination or calculation procedures, compliance with the ELVs is achieved if the mean value based on an appropriate number of measurements under representative conditions does not exceed the value of the emission standard. The inaccuracy of the measurement methods may be taken into account for verification purposes. Indirect monitoring of substances is also possible via sum parameters/cumulative parameters (e.g., dust as a sum parameter for heavy metals). In some cases using a certain technique to treat emissions can assure a value/limit value is maintained or met.

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

Combustion plants (boilers and process heaters) with a rated thermal input exceeding 50 MWth

1) The rated thermal input of the combustion plant is calculated as the sum of the input of all units connected to a common stack. Individual units below 15 MWth shall not be considered when calculating the total rated thermal input.

(annex II, category 1)

8. Limit values for dust emissions for combustion of solid and liquid fuels, other than biomass and peat:

2) In particular, the ELVs shall not apply to:

– Plants using biomass and peat as their only fuel source

– Plants in which the products of combustion are used for direct heating, drying, or any other treatment of objects or materials;

– Post-combustion plants designed to purify the waste gases by combustion which are not operated as independent combustion plants;

– Facilities for the regeneration of catalytic cracking catalysts;

– Facilities for the conversion of hydrogen sulphide into sulphur;

– Reactors used in the chemical industry;

– Coke battery furnaces;

– Cowpers;

– Recovery boilers within installations for the production of pulp;

– Waste incinerators; and

– Plants powered by diesel, petrol or gas engines or by combustion turbines, irrespective of the fuel used.

Table 1

Fuel type | Thermal input (MWth) | ELV for dust (mg/m3)1)

Solid fuels | 50–100 | New plants:

20 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

Existing plants:

30 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

100–300 | New plants:

20 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

Existing plants:

25 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

>300 | New plants:

10 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

Existing plants:

20 (coal, lignite and other solid fuels)

Liquid fuels | 50–100 | New plants:

20

Existing plants:

30 (in general)

50 for the firing of distillation and conversion residues within refineries from the refining of crude oil for own consumption in combustion plants

Liquid fuels | 100–300 | New plants:

20

Existing plants:

25 (in general)

50 for the firing of distillation and conversion residues within refineries from the refining of crude oil for own consumption in combustion plants

>300 | New plants:

10

Existing plants:

20 (in general)

50 for the firing of distillation and conversion residues within refineries from the refining of crude oil for own consumption in combustion plants

1) Limit values refer to an oxygen content of 6% for solid fuels and 3% for liquid fuels.

9. Special provisions for combustion plants referred to in paragraph 8:

a) A Party may derogate from the obligation to comply with the ELVs provided for in paragraph 8 in the following cases:

(i) For combustion plants normally using gaseous fuel which have to resort exceptionally to the use of other fuels because of a sudden interruption in the supply of gas and for this reason would need to be equipped with a waste gas purification facility;

(ii) For existing combustion plants not operated more than 17,500 operating hours, starting from 1 January 2016 and ending no later than 31 December 2023;

b) Where a combustion plant is extended by at least 50 MWth, the ELV specified in paragraph 8 for new installations shall apply to the extensional part affected by the change. The ELV is calculated as an average weighted by the actual thermal input for both the existing and the new part of the plant;

c) Parties shall ensure that provisions are made for procedures relating to malfunction or breakdown of the abatement equipment;

d) In the case of a multi-fuel firing combustion plant involving the simultaneous use of two or more fuels, the ELV shall be determined as the weighted average of the ELVs for the individual fuels, on the basis of the thermal input delivered by each fuel.

Primary and secondary iron and steel industry (annex II, category 2 and 3)

10. Limit values for dust emissions:

Table 2

Activity | ELV for dust (mg/m3)

Sinter plant | 50

Pelletization plant | 20 for crushing, grinding and drying