Potash sector emission estimate codes

This page will provide guidance to potash-producing facilities on which National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) emission estimation codes to use when reporting.

General guidance on the use of emission estimation codes for the potash industry

There are four emission quantification methods (and the associated National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) emission estimation codes) commonly used by potash-producing facilities when they report to the NPRI:

  • Source testing (M3)
  • Site-specific emission factors (E1)
  • Published emission factors (E2)
  • Engineering estimates (O)
You should select the most appropriate emission estimation method for each source at your facility; this guide provides the methods recommended by the NPRI for each type of source.

Source testing (M3)

You should select this emission quantification code if you use one set of source sampling results to calculate the concentration of one or more substances (in this case, TPM, PM10, PM2.5). This sampling is normally conducted to demonstrate compliance with a regulatory requirement or as a result of guidance provided by regulatory authorities.

To use this method, once you have conducted your source sampling test, you multiply the concentration of each substance by the volumetric flow rate to determine the quantity of each substance released over time. That quantity can be divided by throughput to calculate an emission per unit production or it can be multiplied by hours of operations to calculate an annual emission.

Site-specific emission factors (E1)

You should select this estimation code if you perform the source sampling tests many times for the same source and develop your own site-specific emission factors. Those factors can then be used to relate the quantity of substance(s) released from that source to some common activity (for example, the volume of product produced in a defined period).

Published emission factors (E2)

You should select this estimation code when you use emission factors that have already been developed and published by industry associations or government agencies for use by the industry sector or in particular jurisdictions. These factors are based many source testing results from one or more facilities in the same industry sector or from the same type of process equipment (for example, fuel combustion equipment).

Engineering estimates (O)

To use this method you must have knowledge of the physical and chemical processes, equipment design properties, and engineering principles that allows you to calculate pollutant releases from an emission source. This approach should be used with caution since the resulting data are usually an approximation, however, it can be used when no other estimation method is available to you. Any quantities derived using this method should be refined should better information become available in the future.  

The following table provides guidance on which emission estimation methods are currently being used by potash-producing facilities categorized by source as well as the methods recommended by NPRI.

Generic source categories of potash sector and the NPRI emission estimate codes
Source ID Source Category Emission quantification method currently used by the Sector Recommended emission quantification method Recommended NPRI emission estimate codes for the reporting 
Main stack Dryer stack Stack or point M3 + Saskatchewan Potash Producers Association (SPPA) Correction Factor (PM10 and PM2.5 only) M3 (wet source testing method, with other estimating tools as appropriate) M3 (with the use of SPPA correction factor to be mentioned in "Comments” field)
Fluid bed dryer Dryer stack Stack or point
Rotary dryer Dryer stack Stack or point
Product cooler Dryer stack Stack or point
Precipitator Dryer stack Stack or point
Other Dryer stack Stack or point
Compaction Dust stack Stack or point M3, O, E1 (assumes definition = Manufacturer specifications) M3 (U.S. EPA method 201A for PM2.5 filterable particulates) M3   
Reclaim Dust stack Stack or point
Loadout Dust stack Stack or point
Raw ore screen Dust stack Stack or point
Dispatch belts Dust stack Stack or point
Blending bin Dust stack Stack or point
Dust circuit Dust stack Stack or point
Crushing and transfer Dust stack Stack or point
Sizing & compaction Dust stack Stack or point
Transfer house Dust stack Stack or point
Dust slurry tank Dust stack Stack or point
Other Dust stack Stack or point
Powerhouse boilers Exhaust stack Stack or point E2, US EPA Fire database & NPRI liquid fuel calculator E2 (NPRI calculators in the Toolbox for liquid fuels) E2
Standby generator Exhaust stack Stack or point E2 (US EPA AP-42) E2 (NPRI calculator in the Toolbox for diesel fuel generators) E2
Mine exhaust Mine exhaust Stack or point M3, O, E2 (NPRI calculator)   O or E2
Natural gas combustion - misc (small heaters or not accounted for in powerhouse boilers & dryers) Natural gas combustion Stack or point, other non-point E2 & US EPA Fire database E2
E2
Fuel combustion - propane heaters   Other non point E2 (NPRI calculator) E2 (NPRI calculator for propane heaters in the Toolbox) E2
Rock trucks, pickups   Road dust E2 (NPRI calculator) E2 (NPRI calculator for unpaved industrial road dust in the Toolbox) E2
Unpaved roads   Road dust
Construction   Road dust
Earthwork construction   Other non point E2 (Construction factors) Refer to AP-42 Chapter 13.2.3 (Table 13.2.3-1 Sections I and II). Road dust is excluded since it is considered under other Source IDs E2
Fugitive emission Fugitive emission (includes wall fans, loading dust not captured by dust emission control equipment, storage buildings, etc) Fugitive emission E1 (SPPA), O (SPPA) E1 (SPPA) E1

Page details

Date modified: