Ahead of the imminent changes in fugitive emission legislation driven by the EU Regulations IPPC 96/61/EU, packings and static seals specialist, Beldam Burgmann, has launched a new guide aimed at helping engineers and equipment specifiers to familiarise themselves with use of Best Available Techniques (BAT) and general compliance for gaskets and packings.
In the absence of any relevant British Standards tests, the Wolverhampton based company is using the German Clean Air Act (TA-Luft) as a probable benchmark. Managing director, Peter Childs, explains: "TA-Luft is recognised as a vigorous piece of legislation and one which includes a number of stringent fugitive emission test procedures for gaskets and valve packings. We strongly believe that these tests will become the accepted benchmark for gaskets and valve packings in the UK.
"When the new legislation takes effect in October 2007, very few existing gaskets currently in use in the UK will meet these requirements. With that in mind, we have taken the decision to launch a guide that will help engineers and decision makers across the various relevant sectors become more informed about both the legislation itself and the type of products they will have to use in order to comply."
The six-page full colour guide gives salient advice on an issue that is sure to become more and more topical as 2006 progresses. Apart from generic guidance, the guide looks at a number of products and their properties, clearly outlining their key features and application parameters.
Childs concludes: "At this stage, it is all about growing awareness across a number of sectors including chemical, petro-chemical and pharmaceutical, in advance of what will be large scale changes to their working practice.
"At Beldam Burgmann, we feel a distinct responsibility to our industry and are always happy to offer our advice. To that end, we have appointed two fugitive emissions specialists in Clive Burkinshaw and Jamie Hill and anybody wishing to obtain a free copy of the guide should contact either Clive (North of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland) on 07799 641237 or Jamie (South of England and Wales) on 07738 486021.
"Both Clive and Jamie have considerable industry experience and their knowledge of the subject is second to none. I am sure that in conjunction with our guide, they will be able to offer any interested party the appropriate objective advice."