The Air Monitoring Directive Section 1: Quality Systems

1
The Air Monitoring Directive Section 1 Quality
Systems

• Bob Myrick and Rob Bioletti Alberta
  EnvironmentMarch 2006

2
Why is this Important?

• Amendment to the 1989 Air Monitoring Directive
  (AMD)
• Title 2006 Amendments to the Air Monitoring
  Directive, 1989 (AMD 2006)
• Release date April 1st, 2006
• Affects those who follow the AMD as required in
  their Approval, Code of Practice or Registration
  and/or provides monitoring data to AENV
• Provides guidance for monitoring parties to
  collect and report consistent quality data
• There is no use collecting data if its not valid!

3
Overview of Presentation

• Background
• Concept and Goals of Monitoring and Reporting
  Directives
• The Air Monitoring Directive and Quality Systems
• Overview of the Current Amendment
• Section 1 Quality Systems
• Next Steps

4
The Building Blocks
Monitoring and Reporting Directives
CEMS
AMD
Stack Sampling
Section 2 Ambient Air Monitoring Requirements
Section 1 General Requirements
Section 2 Technical Specifications Detection
Limits Calibration Methods Operating Methods
Section 1 Quality Systems Electronic
reporting of CEMS data
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Goals of the AMD

• Alberta Environment and other users rely on air
  quality data to
• Assess the quality of air
• Assess trends
• Determine compliance with guidelines and
  standards
• Perform modeling for approval applications and
  review analysis
• Fulfill other environmental management functions
• The goal of the AMD is to ensure that air
  monitoring data is consistent, of high quality,
  and defensible
• The first step is the creation of a Quality System

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Intent of a Quality System

• Outline the minimum requirements for the
  collection and reporting of air monitoring data
• Establish consistent Quality Assurance practices
  that
• Ensure, and allow for verification of, the
  quality of air data collected in Alberta
• Ensure data comparability among monitoring sites
• Provide guidance and criteria to operators of
  monitoring equipment, auditors, and other Alberta
  Environment staff on
• Minimum quality assurance requirements
• Air monitoring and reporting requirements

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How a Quality System Works
Requirements Methods
Improve QAP
Procedures Documentation QAP
Internal External Audit
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Overview of the Current Amendment

• Administrative Requirements
• Document Control
• Internal Audits
• Non-Compliance, Preventative and Corrective
  Action
• Subcontracting
• Purchasing of Services and Supplies
• Technical Requirements
• Reporting Requirements

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Administrative Requirements

• Provide resources
• People, money and equipment
• Document responsibilities of the personnel
  involved with the Quality System

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Document Control

• Ensure all documents can be located, reviewed,
  revised and approved
• Relevant documents must be available where
  monitoring is being done
• Document procedures for data validation
• Maintain records of raw data, audits and
  compliance with the AMD for at least three years
• Retain final reports for at least ten years

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Internal Audits

• Ensure the Quality System is compliant
• Should be conducted by an independent party
• Document findings and corrective action
• At least every three years

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Non-Compliance, Preventative and Corrective Action

• Must have a plan for potential non-compliance
• Conduct and document preventative actions
• When non-compliance occurs
• Corrective action to be taken immediately
• Notify Alberta Government when required by
  regulation or law
• Provide corrected data to AENV

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Subcontracting

• Document all subcontractors conducting the
  monitoring, reporting and/or maintenance
• Ensure the subcontractor is capable of meeting
  the requirements of the AMD!
• The owner or approval holder is responsible for
  the work done by subcontractors!

14
Purchasing of Services and Supplies

• Ensure services and supplies that may affect the
  monitoring quality comply with monitoring
  requirements
• Document why the services and supplies are
  compliant

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Technical Requirements

• Ensure personnel are qualified and document their
  qualifications
• All monitoring equipment must be located where it
  will work properly
• All monitoring equipment must meet or exceed
  performance requirements in the AMD
• Equipment operation and maintenance procedures
  are documented and located where the equipment is
• Equipment should be in a secure location
• Cont

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Technical Requirements Continued

• Document all changes to equipment and monitoring
  methods
• Ensure all methods are documented in detail
• Document measurement uncertainty
• Meet calibration requirements
• Document sampling plans and procedures
• Have procedures for accepting or rejecting samples

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Reporting Requirements

• Submit monthly reports to AENV on time!
• Written or electronic with CD sent to AENV
• Flag data that does not meet QA/QC requirements
• Who, where, what, when, why and how
• Statement of compliance/non-compliance
• Corrections/amendments to previously submitted
  reports must be approved by AENV
• CEMS data shall be reported in electronic format
  starting April 1, 2007

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What All of this Really Means

• Air monitoring parties need to ensure their
  monitoring and reporting activities are compliant
  with the current amendment
• Develop a Quality System by April 1, 2007 and
  implement the system by April 1, 2008
• If your Environmental Management System already
  includes QA/QC, this should not be a big deal!

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Stepping Forward

• Development of Section 2 with the technical
  multi-stakeholder group will continue
• To reduce time requirements
• Section 2 will be released chapter by chapter
  after stakeholder review has been completed
• Chapters will be posted on AENV website for
  comments for two months before release

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And Finally

• Thank You!
• Thanks also to our stakeholders from
• Airsheds, industry and AENV staff for
• participating in this process
• Questions???