xii Environmental Analysis Sira


MCERTS for Water Monitoring Continues to Gather Pace


The MCERTS product certification scheme for water monitoring instruments continues to grow in popularity, despite recently published news to the contrary.


MCERTS is the Environment Agency’s certification scheme which provides means for process operators to carry out environmental monitoring according to the EA’s requirements. The MCERTS scheme encompasses laboratories, services, personnel and equipment for carrying out emissions monitoring to both air and water. Not only does it provide assurance to the EA that performance standards are being met, it also provides manufacturers of monitoring equipment with independent verification that their products are fit for purpose, a unique marketing tool.


Since 1996, over 130 instruments have been certified for air emissions monitoring. The MCERTS personnel certification scheme has seen over 500 certificates issued and there are in excess of 30 laboratories accredited to the MCERTS performance standard.


MCERTS for water monitoring was a recent addition to the scheme, the first four product conformity certificates being issued in 2005. Since then nearly 40 certificates have been issued to manufacturers of water monitoring equipment.


Sira (the MCERTS certification body) reports that it is currently working with over a dozen manufacturers. The following manufacturers wish to promote that they are


currently undergoing certification, and should be contacted directly for more details; BioTector Analytical Systems Limited, Endress & Hauser Ltd, GE Water & Process Technologies, Hach Lange Ltd and Nivus GmbH. Further, steady growth is expected throughout the year and beyond. It is expected that the number of certificates is likely to exceed 50 by the end of 2011 (see graph right).


Some manufacturers prefer to cover a complete product range on one certificate.


Aquamatic Ltd, for example include a range of fourteen portable and stationary wastewater samplers on a single certificate. The number of certified products is therefore considerably more than the number of certificates issued.


Details of all MCERTS certificates issued can be found at www.siracertification.com/mcerts


Since the EA’s Operator Monitoring Assessment (OMA) scheme was extended to cover emissions to water in 2009, demand for certified products has grown significantly. Process Operators can achieve a higher OMA score by installing and using MCERTS certified equipment. Manufacturers are seeing the benefits too. More and more plant owners/operators are specifying MCERTS equipment in their procurement procedures, even in territories outside those regulated by the Environment Agency.


Tel: +44 (0)1322 520500


Email: info@siracertification.com Web: www.siracertification.com


Further progress has been made on another MCERTS scheme. The self monitoring of effluent flow scheme has seen rapid growth in recent years. To date over 250 industrial sites and 3600 sewage works have been certified. Certification demonstrates that flow measurement is being carried according to the EA’s requirements. Some considerable cost savings are being reported by industrial operators as a result of the scheme’s introduction.


MCERTS therefore, is fast becoming the recognised standard for monitoring instrumentation throughout the world. Sira reports interest from USA, Canada, Australia and throughout continental Europe, the middle-east and far east.


Reader Reply Card No. 199


New Finance Scheme Opens Door to New Technology


MD8 AirScan and


AirPort MD8 Reliable, fl exible air monitoring system


Dual operation options with isokinetic sampling:


– Gelatin Membrane for validatable


absolute retention or


– BACTairTM agar plate sample head for sanitization-free sampling


Both GMP Compliant


A new ‘Rent To Own’ scheme from instrumentation specialist Ashtead Technology (UK) is helping companies obtain access to the latest technologies by spreading out the cost and reducing pressure on cash flow whilst maintaining traditional rental benefits such as repair, calibration and technical support.


The initiative sidesteps capital expenditure


restrictions to give customers immediate access to the most up-to-date inspection, test and monitoring equipment – with the flexibility and freedom to either buy at the end of the 12 months rental period with a one-off purchase payment or to simply return the equipment with no additional penalties.


The RTO scheme helped one Milton Keynes company, aircraft services specialist Helimech, make considerable savings on an Olympus Iplex LX videoprobe that is used for advanced gas turbine engine inspections.


Engineering manager Paul Smith explains: “Previously it was necessary to regularly outsource a specialist to visit us with a videoprobe, but this was becoming increasingly costly.


“As demand for this type of investigation grew, we decided to try Ashtead Technology’s RTO scheme because it provided us with the latest technology combined with back-up support from one of the company’s remote visual inspection specialists.


www.sartorius-stedim.com/laboratory


“We could not justify the upfront cost of purchase, so the RTO option offered a more financially attractive alternative and as a result we now have the technology and capability in-house. I would thoroughly recommend the scheme to other small or medium sized companies.”


A number of Ashtead products are available under the RTO scheme including XRF metals analysers, thermal cameras and a vast range of the latest vidoeprobe inspection equipment.


ne.customersupport@sartorius-stedim.com | Phone: 01372.737.159 Reader Reply Card No. 200 Reader Reply Card No. 201


IET May / June 2011 www.envirotech-online.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65