Sunday, May 17, 2009

Emission Scopes Categorize Greenhouse Gas Problems

By Daniel Stouffer

Emission scopes are being used to determine the category of chemical and usage area, so that facilities can understand and monitor their greenhouse gas impact. The US Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol have established that emissions of harmful substances must be controlled worldwide. When discharged into the air, these chemicals can cause severe damage to the global environment.

When dangerous chemicals are either intentionally or unintentionally released into the atmosphere, three different emission scopes come into play. Several protocols are covered including reporting, accountability and tracking procedures.

The main designation, Scope 1, of the emission scopes includes greenhouse gas emissions occurring directly onsite from the source, such as when refrigeration and air conditioning systems leak refrigerant gas. Fossil fuels are also included in this category. Any company-owned asset that has the potential to discharge greenhouse gases is included in this category.

The second category of emission scopes include electricity. This designation includes indirect discharges during production. Facility owners can conserve energy and reduce the amount of electricity produced.

Indirect emissions that occur as a result of facility activities that use goods or resources with potential greenhouse gas emissions fall under Scope 3 of the emission scopes. These are items, such as paper products or fuels, which are manufactured by remote vendors, but use harmful greenhouse gases in the production process. Facilities can cut down on their usage or find eco-friendly alternatives to reduce production volumes.

A number of harmful greenhouse gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrous oxide fall under the emission scopes. more than 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide is produced in the United States alone each year due to fugitive emissions of greenhouse gases and refrigerant.

A wide range of industries use emission scopes, including universities, hospitals and corporations that are equipped with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems or refrigeration and air- conditioning systems. Facility managers must identify how greenhouse gases are used both directly and indirectly, taking steps to minimize usage and track potential discharge.

As government agencies now require strict tracking and reporting of greenhouse gases, so companies that specialize in software development have emerged with options to track emission scopes and make the process more user-friendly. Any company that fails to comply with government edicts faces strict censure.

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