Marchwood invests in state-of-the-art laboratory for new stacks emissions analysis services

Marchwood has invested in a state-of-the-art stacks laboratory to house its new range of accredited tests for stack emissions. These services enable companies to demonstrate compliance with the limits and regulations in place to reduce pollution, safeguard public health, and support a safer, healthier planet.

‘Our new laboratory, developed from existing space at our Manchester site, has helped us extend our capacity and capability,’ said Jenny Wraith, Business Development Manager at Marchwood. ‘Regulatory monitoring is a legal requirement for all industrial and power generation facilities. All organisations are provided with an environmental permit that outlines the substances that need to be monitored and the limits that must be adhered to. If they do not remain compliant with these requirements, sanctions may be implemented by the governing body.

‘Essentially, we can now provide one convenient and comprehensive service for occupational hygiene and stack emissions services, helping these facilities easily demonstrate compliance with the latest accurate and reliable analytical services.’

Marchwood has invested in this high-end instrumentation to provide an industry-leading 7 working day turnaround, including ICP/MS, two Ion Chromatographs, CVAFS, 5 d.p. analytical balances, and a water scrubbed fume cupboard for handling hydrofluoric acid. We have also brought new microwave technology to the UK, with a system comprising of twelve independent magnetrons for superior temperature-controlled digestion.

‘We have analysed occupational hygiene and other environmental air samples for many years. Our services have grown in both capability and capacity thanks to investment from our parent company, Cawood, and our culture of continuous improvement,’ continued Jenny. ‘Our new extensive range of stacks analysis complement the well-established dioxin, PCB, and PAH analytical services that are already offered by Marchwood. We are also the first lab in the UK to test for brominated dioxins at our Southampton site. Following a rigorous accreditation campaign, we are MCERTS accredited for a number of key parameters. We will continue to add to this scope of accreditation over the next year.’

Air pollution has a devastating impact on people all around the world, resulting in ill health and even death. A key source of air pollution is emissions from stack chimneys or flues. Substances emitted from stacks can exist in gaseous or particulate phases and, in many cases, are released simultaneously. The chosen monitoring method must be able to capture both phases for organic pollutants including dioxins and furans as well as inorganic pollutants such as mercury.

‘The team has worked exceptionally hard over the last few months to set up the lab and develop these new tests to give us a comprehensive stacks analysis service for our customers,’ said Simon Parrington, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cawood. ‘We are focussed on providing reliable and accurate analytical services to help our customers meet and maintain compliance whilst supporting a safer, healthier planet. These new services have also further cemented our position as market leaders in occupational hygiene and environmental analysis in the UK.’

The tests that Marchwood are currently MCERTS accredited for include:

Marchwood provides a UKAS analytical service on a range of other parameters. For more information, contact us.