MCERTS Testing Stack Emissions Monitoring
MCERTS Stack Emissions Testing UK for Environmental Permit Compliance (UKAS ISO/IEC 17025, EA Recognised)
MCERTS testing (stack emissions monitoring) provides regulator-recognised evidence that your emissions to air comply with Environmental Permit conditions. If your permit requires periodic monitoring, MCERTS stack emissions testing produces traceable, quality-controlled results that stand up to Environment Agency scrutiny, Operator Monitoring Assessment (OMA) audits, and compliance reporting. This service is designed for operators who need defensible data, clear reporting, and a monitoring programme that aligns with UK regulatory expectations.
When MCERTS Stack Emissions Testing Is Required
MCERTS testing is typically required or expected where:
- Your Environmental Permit includes periodic monitoring conditions for emissions to air
- You are due routine compliance testing (quarterly, 6-monthly or annual monitoring depending on permit)
- A new plant, process or abatement system has been installed and baseline evidence is required
- You are submitting evidence for monthly or annual EA reporting and need defensible results
- You are preparing for, or responding to, an Operator Monitoring Assessment (OMA)
- A permit variation, throughput increase, fuel change or operational change requires updated emissions evidence
- There is enforcement scrutiny, complaints, or compliance risk and evidence quality must be beyond doubt
What MCERTS Stack Emissions Testing Measures
MCERTS stack emissions testing measures determinands specified by your permit and monitoring schedule. Typical permit-driven measurements can include (site and permit dependent):
- Particulates / dust (e.g., total particulate matter)
- NOx (NO and NO2, often reported as NOx)
- SO2 (sulphur dioxide)
- CO (carbon monoxide)
- HCl / HF (acid gases where relevant)
- VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and solvent-related parameters where applicable
- Flow, temperature, moisture and oxygen (supporting parameters required for normalisation and compliance reporting)
The exact determinands, methods and monitoring frequency are set by your permit conditions and the applicable regulatory monitoring approach.
Why MCERTS Matters for Compliance and OMA
For regulators, MCERTS is not “nice to have” data, it is quality-assured evidence for regulatory decision-making. Using MCERTS-aligned stack emissions monitoring helps demonstrate that your results are reliable, repeatable, and obtained using appropriate methods and competence controls. This directly supports:
- Environmental Permit compliance (clear evidence against ELVs and monitoring conditions)
- OMA performance by strengthening evidence quality, traceability and monitoring governance
- Faster regulator engagement because reports are structured in an expected format
- Reduced enforcement risk through robust, defensible monitoring and record keeping
If you need help improving monitoring systems and evidence ahead of audits, see OMA Support (Operator Monitoring Assessment) and Training Courses (EN 14181, OMA, Compliance).
Standards, Guidance and Regulatory Context
MCERTS stack emissions testing is delivered in line with current UK regulatory expectations for monitoring of emissions to air. This includes alignment to:
- Environment Agency MCERTS requirements for regulatory monitoring
- ISO/IEC 17025 competence principles for testing and laboratory processes (where applicable)
- Environment Agency guidance for selecting appropriate monitoring approaches and periodic monitoring standards
- Environment Agency OMA scheme expectations for monitoring quality and reliability
For operators, these references help clarify what “good” looks like when monitoring is audited and questioned by regulators.
How MCERTS Stack Testing Works in Practice
A strong stack emissions testing programme is planned to match your permit requirements and representative operating conditions. Typical stages include:
- Permit and method review to confirm determinands, frequency, reporting format and any special conditions
- Pre-test planning to confirm access, safety, sampling locations, operating regime and site constraints
- On-site sampling and measurement under representative operation (as required by permit and method)
- QA/QC and traceability controls to protect evidence credibility
- Clear reporting with results tables, supporting parameters, assumptions and compliance-ready presentation
- Follow-up actions where exceedances, anomalies or improvement opportunities are identified
Where your compliance strategy requires continuous monitoring support or temporary monitoring cover, see Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) Temp Hire and Calibration of CEMS EN 14181.
What You Receive
You receive practical outputs you can use for compliance, reporting and regulator engagement:
- A monitoring scope aligned to your Environmental Permit requirements
- Testing delivered under controlled, auditable quality processes
- A clear stack emissions test report suitable for regulator submission and internal governance
- Results presented in a compliance-friendly format (including supporting parameters required by permits)
- Transparent notes on operating conditions, assumptions and any constraints affecting interpretation
- Practical recommendations where improvements are needed (monitoring, maintenance, operational control or further assessment)
What We Need From You
To scope correctly and avoid delays, we typically request:
- Your Environmental Permit monitoring conditions and the current monitoring schedule
- Determinands required, reporting deadlines and any regulator-specific expectations
- Stack and plant details (drawings, sampling ports, access arrangements, process conditions)
- Operating regime required for representative monitoring (loads, fuels, operating hours)
- Site safety requirements and access procedures (RAMS, induction, permits to work)
- Any recent compliance history, exceedances, regulator queries or audit findings (if relevant)
Who This Service Is For
MCERTS stack emissions testing is commonly required by:
- Permitted industrial installations with emissions to air limits and periodic monitoring conditions
- Energy, combustion and generator operators (including MCP and specified generator contexts)
- Waste and resource recovery operators where emissions evidence is compliance-critical
- Manufacturing sites with permit monitoring and reporting obligations
- Operators preparing for regulator audits, OMA scoring or permit variations
How This Fits Into Your Wider Compliance Programme
Stack emissions testing should not sit in isolation. For best compliance outcomes, we recommend integrating periodic monitoring into a broader evidence and governance framework, including:
- Permitting strategy and condition management (see Environmental Permitting)
- Monitoring governance and audit readiness (see OMA Support)
- Continuous monitoring QA/QC where applicable (see EN 14181 CEMS Calibration)
- Reporting schedules and evidence structure (see Monthly and Annual EA Reporting)
Limitations and Scope
Stack emissions monitoring results represent the operating conditions during the monitoring period. If your process varies significantly, monitoring should be planned to capture representative conditions or multiple operating scenarios where required by permits or regulator expectations. Where access constraints or operating limits exist, these must be documented clearly so results can be interpreted correctly.
Relevant Guidance and References
- Environment Agency: MCERTS (monitoring emissions to air, land and water)
- MCERTS: Performance standard for organisations monitoring manual stack emissions
- MCERTS manual stack emission monitoring performance standard (PDF)
- UKAS: Laboratory accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025)
- UKAS: Stack Emissions Monitoring guide (PDF)
- Environment Agency: Operator Monitoring Assessment (OMA)
- Monitoring stack emissions: techniques and standards for periodic monitoring
- M20: Quality assurance of continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS)
FAQs
What is MCERTS testing?
MCERTS is the Environment Agency’s Monitoring Certification Scheme. For stack emissions, MCERTS testing is the recognised approach for producing quality-assured, regulator-ready evidence for emissions to air compliance.
Is MCERTS stack emissions testing mandatory?
If your Environmental Permit requires periodic monitoring, MCERTS-aligned monitoring is commonly expected to ensure results meet regulator quality requirements and are suitable for compliance decision-making.
How often do we need stack emissions testing?
Frequency is set by your permit (often quarterly, 6-monthly or annually). Where operations or risks are higher, monitoring may be required more frequently or under specific operating conditions.
What is the difference between MCERTS and UKAS?
MCERTS is the Environment Agency scheme for monitoring quality requirements. UKAS is the UK national accreditation body that accredits competence (including ISO/IEC 17025) which supports the credibility of testing and laboratory processes within the MCERTS framework.
How should we prepare for MCERTS stack emissions testing?
Preparation usually includes confirming representative operating conditions, ensuring safe access to sampling ports, providing permit conditions and monitoring schedules, and confirming site safety requirements and work permits.
Will MCERTS testing help our OMA score?
It can support stronger monitoring credibility when evidence quality, traceability and reporting are well controlled. If you need a structured OMA improvement plan, see OMA Support.
Can you support both periodic stack testing and CEMS compliance?
Yes. Many sites need both periodic MCERTS testing and continuous monitoring QA/QC. We can support periodic monitoring, EN 14181-related requirements and overall monitoring governance.
Need MCERTS stack emissions testing with regulator-ready reporting?
We can scope your permit requirements, deliver compliant monitoring, and provide clear reporting suitable for EA review and compliance reporting. Request a quote today and hear back within 24 hours.
