Training for consultants on VOC emissions completed
The training for consultants on the implementation of Chapter V of the Industrial Emissions Directive in the field of volatile organic compounds emissions has been completed and closed by a certificate-awarding ceremony. The training implemented within the eVOC Serbia Project was held from February to May 2021 and comprised of a series of six workshops.
It was attended by 20 candidates for consultants and 8 central level inspectors, as well as 3 representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia. The candidates were selected through an open call in January this year.
International expert on the project, Richard Schlachta, led the expert team that implemented this training. The training program was divided into six units. The first unit was dedicated to a thorough introduction into volatile organic compounds and their impact on environment and health. It also encompassed an overview of the European Union strategies for preventing VOC emissions and an introduction into the requirements in Chapter V of the Industrial Emissions Directive for operators.
The second unit covered a lecture on paints, adhesives, coatings and cleaning agents. This group of materials was analysed in particular detail because of their significant contribution to VOC emissions, both in their production and in their use. A special segment was dedicated to coating techniques, their efficiency and the expected quality of the final product. Correct and precise elaboration of an annual solvent mass balance is of major importance for VOC operators and their compliance with requirements prescribed in Chapter V of the Industrial Emissions Directive. It was thus an important segment in the third unit on volatile organic compounds emissions.
Within the fourth unit, VOC emission reduction scheme was presented, as an alternative to waste gas abatement techniques; it envisages the use of low-VOC materials in industrial processes. The fifth workshop was dedicated to methods and techniques for waste gas treatment for industrial waste gases. The last unit looked at the methods for volatile organic compounds detection and measurement in waste gases.
The training for consultants ended with a final test, and a certificate awarding ceremony.
Experience from other countries shows that the consultants play an important role in the field of volatile organic compound emissions as many companies opt to engage external experts when elaborating their annual solvent mass balances and preparing their reports, as well as when preparing measures for VOC emissions mitigation.