The Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014 are regulations that enforce compliance with air pollutant emissions especially from the industrial sector or from any premises with the potential to release air pollutants in general.

To ensure compliance with emission standards from chimneys, industries are required to carry out continuous or periodic monitoring, depending on the type of activity and as stipulated in the regulations. Chimney monitoring reports must be submitted to the Department of Environment (DOE) for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Under sub-regulation 16 of the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014, periodic monitoring of air pollutant emissions from chimneys must be carried out at least once a year, or as otherwise directed by the DOE through a written instruction. In this regard, premises are required to appoint a stack sampler or an accredited laboratory to conduct sampling and monitoring in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the regulations.

The DOE is currently in the process of developing a competency course for stack testers in line with the requirements of sub-regulation 16 of the Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014, whereby chimney sampling must be conducted by a Competent Person to ensure that the testing is carried out by qualified and skilled personnel. This is to guarantee the validity of chimney emission monitoring data reported to the DOE