It depends on the materials being incinerated to generate the emissions. Gas samples are more homogeneous and less complicated to subsample than waste-derived samples like municipal solid waste.
The sampling is done onsite but the analysis is done in an ISO 17025-accredited lab.
The variability is not accounted for by ASTM D6866 but by the sampling method ASTM D7459. Given that the feedstock proportions will continually change, continuous collection of CO2 (via a controlled flow meter at the exit of a continuous emission monitoring system or stack probe) will give the true running average for a specific collection period (e.g. 1 week, 1 month).
ASTM adjusts the correction factor periodically to make its D6866 standard more accurate relative to the current global atmospheric carbon measurement.
The US standard ASTM D6866 is more flexible in terms of applicable samples. It can be used for solid, liquid, and gas samples. Europe’s EN 15440 is only applicable to solid recovered fuels.
The testing frequency depends on the prevailing regulations in your state or region or the greenhouse gas initiatives selected for application.
You may submit as little as 2 cc of CO2 in a gas collection bag if the sample is not diluted. If the sample is diluted, send five liters of gas. The gas sample should be collected according to the ASTM D7459 standard. For solid samples like RDF, SRF, tires, waste, and sludge, a minimum of 5 grams is sufficient (25 grams max). For more details, please see our submission guidelines.
No. You can buy Tedlar gas bags from any supplier.
No, gas sampling is not part of Beta Analytic’s services.
We have several forwarding facilities around the world but testing is only done in the Miami, Florida headquarters. If you are in Europe, please send your samples to our Dublin office. For China, please send them to our Xiamen address. For Japan, send the samples to our agent in Nagoya.
We also have other forwarding offices in the UK, Brazil and South Korea, please see here – choose your location on the leftmost column to view the mailing address and customs declaration, if any.
Beta Analytic publishes one report with a unique certificate number for each sample submitted.
We have no minimum number of samples required. If you are submitting samples for regulatory compliance or greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes, please consult the governing agencies regarding the testing frequency and the number of samples required for each collection period.
Page last updated: July 2020
